Zimeo and Gaziet?
by Lilly Winters
Summary: What happens when Gaz and Zim are forced to audition for the Hi-Skool play, Romeo and Juliet? And what happens when they may land the lead roles? A whole lot! Zagr!
1. The Play

**A/N**

** Yay! Another Zagr! Imagine Zim and Gaz being forced to audition for Romeo and Juliet. What could happen? Psh, Everything! Enjoy and Review!**

**Oh and I would like to reply to some of the feedback I got! Special thanks to all the reviews :)!**

**Question Sleep -Nakita - Thank you so much! I thought that was funny to. I just imagined Zim giving a kick butt performance because he is so passionate about everything else lol! But about him not understanding the word play, he did know what the word was but he was not completely clear on the whole acting idea. Hope that clears it up for ya! :D**

**Invader French Fries - Thanks and don't worry. I actually just got done posting it :)**

****xoAmaxi - Aww thank you so much. That means a lot! Ive been trying as hard as I can to make sure every character acts/talks the way they did in the show. Im relieved to know that so far they are ^-^****

******Invader Cakez - Yay! I know Zagr rocks! Dont worry. Expect to see a lot more from me ;)**************

**TimIsaFunSucker - Thanks! I absolutely LOVED writing the flyer. I could almost hear Ms Bitters writing it herself XD**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim or the characters. Just a fan-made story!**

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><p>The flyer was first spotted on the bulletin board right by the Hi-Skool entrance. Students flocked and squealed as they read it aloud.<p>

** ATTENTION ALL HI-SKOOL STUDENTS!**

Due to lack of creativity in your pathetic existences, the Skool Principle is forcing students to audition for Shakespeare's horribly long play:

** Romeo and Juliet! **

Auditions will be held tomorrow at 4:47 AM. Don't be late!

P.S. All children who try to skip this activity will be transferred to the underground classroom.

"We are being forced to audition for this?"

"I've never auditioned for a play before!"

"Does it hurt?" A reject questioned.

Most were confused by the random and early timing, but decided not to question it, except for one unfortunate soul.

"Why would they make the auditions at 4:47 in the morning?" The student asked.

Immediately, a shadow fell over the hallway, cockroaches scattering in every direction. The students shook in fear at the coming of the creepy being. Right on time, Ms. Bitters slithered out of nowhere, towering over the student with the question.

"They scheduled it that early to un-inspire pathetic students such as you from auditioning. That way, this play will **NEVER** happen!"

"Is un-inspire a word?" The student asked in fear.

The teacher hissed and the hall was enveloped in darkness. Once the lights came to, the student had vanished. He was never seen again. The rest of the crowd went their separate ways, discussing the upcoming play.

"Could you imagine if I got the part of Juliet?" one girl gushed.

Nearby, Zim heard the girl and sneered.

"Pathetic humans! So naïve! They waste their miserable time worrying about this so-called 'play'." He put emphasis on the unfamiliar word.

"What's the matter, Zim? Don't know what a play is? I bet they don't even have those on your planet, Space Boy!" Dib taunted as he walked up from behind.

"Of course we do! Oh, what plays we had! I merely do not wish to waste my time with the disgusting display of students…er…" He realized he really did not know what a play was.

"Acting." Dib suggested. "Students act in a play."

"I knew that!" Zim hissed before turning around to walk away, but accidentally bumped into someone. His face twisted to face the moron that dared to bump into the mighty Zim, but faltered when he saw who it was. Purple hair hung in her face, covering her squinted eyes which remained glued to her game's screen. Gaz. He did not like the human, but he did have respect for her. The power the petite girl held was impressive, even to him.

"Move." She hissed.

"Me? Move? How dare you! You sho—" He stopped when he caught sight of something in her hand. It appeared to be a piece of paper.

"What is that?" He pointed.

She glanced at her hand, seemingly forgetting the paper's presence.

"It's a flyer."

"For?"

She sighed in aggravation.

"If you have to know, it is for the school play."

She pushed the alien aside and continued down the hall, slamming nearby students into lockers and simply out of her way.

"The Gaz-human seems particularly evil today." Zim observed.

Dib nodded.

"Dad is forcing her to participate in an extra-curricular activity so that she can socialize. She isn't too happy about it. That's why- Hey, wait! Why am I telling you this?" He walked away, muttering about stupid aliens.

Zim shook his head at the large-headed boy.

"So, we are forced to audition for this play? Great. Just another retched human activity! Fine, I shall do this so called 'acting', but I will use it to my advantage! These humans won't know what hit them!"

Out of no where, a door flung open, hit him in the back of the head, and landed him directly into a trash can with a loud _squeak_.

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><p><strong>AN**

**I know it was kind of short and it had an odd ending, but oh well. I hope you liked it! Let me know if my characters are too out of character lol. I tried to make them talk and act the way I would imagine them reacting to a situation like this.**


	2. Anticipation

**A/N**

**Chapter two is up! Enjoy and review. I all ready did the disclaimer in the first chapter so I won't bother :).**

The rest of the day was uneventful, the same misery and crazy teachers in one building. Dib tapped his pencil against the desk rhythmically as he counted down the seconds to the end of the class. Finally, the bell rang.

"Remember, students," Ms Bitters growled, "you are all doomed, doomed, doomed. Now leave!"

He quickly escaped the classroom and shuttered. Along with a few other teachers, Ms Bitters was transferred to the Hi-Skool the year Dib entered ninth grade. The principle said that these students were all ready tainted, so it made sense to move the teachers up a grade as the students moved up. Would he ever escape that creepy lady?

Dib finally found Gaz jerking books out of her locker.

"Hey, sister!"

She grunted, clearly annoyed.

"Guess what? I got another picture of Zim without his contacts in!"

She ignored him and began walking away. Either oblivious or used to her lack of manners, he trotted excitedly down the hall after her.

"Now the swollen eyeball will have to believe me!"

They opened the school's doors and began their walk home.

He smiled, but it quickly disappeared at the sight of his sister. Each step she took jabbed the sidewalk and left a crater. Along with the anger of auditioning for the school play, it did not help that her Game Slave's batteries died. She scowled at the absence of her game and the presence of her brother's annoying voice.

"Oh, joy." She replied sarcastically.

"Are you still upset because of the play?"

"What do you think?"

"Come on, it won't be that bad. You may even get a part."

She raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you think I would want a part in such a stupid play? We all know how it is going to end anyway. Two people fall in love, even though they shouldn't have. They both have families that hate each other, and then they each die after a careless mistake."

Dib shrugged.

"I know but still, you never know till you try, right? Dad is just trying to look after you."

"Is that why he comes home so much?" She mumbled.

"What?" Dib asked, not hearing his upset sister.

"Nothing."

She stabbed her key into the knob and jerked it to the left.

"Hello, kids. How was school?"

She looked up expectedly at the floating monitor.

"Same as every other day, dad."

She tried to walk upstairs, but the screen followed her.

"Did you get the information for the play, daughter?"

She casually withdrew the paper from her backpack and showed it to her dad.

He nodded in approval and watched her pull a script out, too.

"Good thinking, daughter! You had better go practice if you want a main part."

"I don't even want a role in this play."

But her father did not hear as the monitor fluttered away to Dib.

She growled and went up to her room. The door slammed shut and her backpack was tossed onto the messy bed.

"Stupid plays, stupid dad, stupid Dib." She complained.

A frame on her dresser caught her eye. A picture of her family, including her mom, was held securely by the old, wooden frame.

"You would have never forced me to do this." She said to the picture of her mother.

A few streets away, an ear-shattering squeal pierced the air. Zim covered his non-existent ears as Gir ran in circles around the room. In his small, metallic hand clutched the flyer.

"Master is going to be an actress!" Gir chirped.

"Gir! First, it is actor. I am not a female! From what I have heard, an actor is a male while an actress is a female. Second! I do not plan to participate in this foolish act. I am simply performing this audition so that no suspicions arise!"

But the small robot blocked out his master's voice with the Angry Monkey Show.

"I love this show." Zim heard Gir whisper as he crawled into the trashcan down into his lab.

"Computer!"

"What is it now, Zim?" The computer huffed.

"Give me all the information you have on this 'Romeo and Juliet'."

"Acquiring data… Romeo and Juliet is a tragic play written by William Shakespeare. It consists of two teenagers falling in love with one another, even against the wishes of their families."

"Love? Gross! How dare they think Zim would fall in love with a filthy human!"

"Master."

"What?"

"You do not actually fall in love with the select actress; you are just going to be acting."

"Define acting!"

The computer sighed.

"Human dictionary states that acting is a person provided with detailed stage directions in order to present a performance. Basically, you are given a part and you have to read lines from a booklet known as a script in order to convey a mood and setting to an audience."

"I see…" His fingers fidgeted as he thought.

"I shall attend this play then but only so that the humans do not become suspicious." He finally concluded, "Gir!"

Gir fell from a hole that appeared in the ceiling. His eyes immediately flashed red.

"Yes, my lord?" He saluted.

"I want you to use the human data collector and research more about this 'Romeo and Juliet'! Bring it to me once you are finished."

His eyes returned to the normal, chipper green.

"Does my master mean the computer?"

Zim cringed at the robot's high-pitched voice, but nodded in agreement.

"Yes! Now go!" He yelled.

Gir ran from the room screaming about a moose and soap. Zim sighed in frustration. He often wondered what went on in the head of that insane little robot. But he was not sure he wanted to know.

**A/N **

**Ha-HA! I actually kind of liked this chapter. Hope you like the story so far. And don't worry. Zagr is going to be coming up very soon, I just have to write everything leading up to it first ;). Review!**


	3. The Audition

**A/N **

**Here it is! The time for auditions has arrived! R&R! Enjoy!**

A long lined curved throughout the hallways. The very front was inside the auditorium where nervous students repeated and rehearsed their lines over and over again. Each one stifled a yawn as they struggled to contain their nerves.

Zim scoffed.

"What a pathetic display of weakness, these worm-babies are. Zim needs no sleep!"

Students turned to stare at the odd green child screaming, but went about their business when they saw it was just Zim who screamed constantly.

He tapped his foot impatiently, curled and uncurled the script, and adjusted his wig as he waited for his turn. It did not help that Dib was directly ahead of the irken. He took advantage of this and mocked the alien for his lack of knowledge on the human project.

Zim blocked out his annoying voice and began daydreaming about conquering Earth. He snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed a movement ahead of Dib. Only then, did he realize Gaz was standing there completely calm. Odd that she was the only one not twitching or hyperventilating like the other students. He watched as she flipped through her script once more, read over a few lines, and then casually tuck it beneath her arm. His eyes wandered up and down, taking in her appearance. He had to admit, she was not bad looking. She was even almost, dare he say it, attractive. Compared to the other teenagers about to have a heart attack over something as simple as an audition, she was rather pretty. _Almost even…_

"What are you looking at, alien scum?"

Zim's concentration snapped as Dib's voice intruded into his thoughts.

"Shut your noise tube, Dib-beast."

"Are you looking at my sister?"

He frantically tugged on his sister's sleeve.

"Gaz! Watch your back. You have an alien watching you!" He whispered harshly.

"Be quiet."

She slapped him on the side of his head with her rolled up script. Zim laughed manically while Dib rubbed the side of his head, pouting.

"Next!"

Zim realized that it was Gaz's turn and found his attention stolen as he watched her march confidently up the stairs and onto the stage. Mr. Elliot smiled as he recognized Gaz.

"Hi, Gaz! Remember me? I used to be your teacher. Huh? Remember me?"

Gaz cringed at the overly-happy teacher's voice.

"Can we please just do this?" She waved her script through the air.

His smile disappeared and he took a seat in a director's chair.

"You may begin with scene two on the balcony. And…action!"

She cleared her throat and stood straighter.

"Oh, Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse they name; or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet!"

Zim's antennas lifted beneath his wig. He stared in amazement, stepping out of the shadows to watch Gaz's performance. His mouth hung slightly agape while his eyes widened in curiosity and wonder.

"No fear, just confidence. It is as though she is this Juliet-human herself…" he whispered.

Dib saw the alien watching Gaz intensely and slapped him in the arm.

"Leave my sister alone or else!" He growled.

But Zim ignored his threat. All of his attention was on the dark beauty occupying the stage. Applause woke him from his trance.

"Very good, Gaz! That was an excellent performance. One of the best we have seen this evening." Mr. Elliot chirped excitedly.

Gaz nodded and walked off the stage.

Zim ignored Dib's performance, abandoning the opportunity to mock him so that he could watch Gaz leave the room. She sighed in relief. She was just glad the torture was finally over.

"Let's see how you do, Zim!" Dib taunted.

He realized the Dib-beast was standing right beside him once more and shot him an icy look. Zim straightened tremendously and marched onto the stage.

"Okay, Zim. You may begin." Mr. Elliot smiled.

"She speaks! Oh, speak again, bright angel, for thou art as glorious to this night, being o'er my head, as a winged messenger of heaven."

Naturally, Zim was very passionate as he read the lines aloud. What could you expect? He was passionate when he simply talked. Though, to him, it was just a casual performance, similar to carrying on a conversation with his fellow worm-babies. He did not expect the burst of applause that followed after. Mr. Elliot stood with tears in his eyes. _What a strange, emotional human_, Zim thought.

"That was absolutely beautiful, Zim! Congratulations!"

"Enough of this, human! Of course it was beautiful. I am ZIM! So am I finished?"

The teacher nodded excitedly, clapping his hands thoughtfully.

"Finally." He muttered stepping down the stairs. He opened the doors to begin walking home and was greeted by a shocked Dib. Mouth hanging open, he was frozen, pointing angrily at Zim.

Zim sneered at the human and walked past triumphantly. Suddenly, his PAK began to vibrate. He hid in the bathroom and, after checking the stalls, a metallic arm extended out and displayed a holographic image of Gir.

"What is it, Gir?"

Gir too was crying.

"My little boy is growing up! He's growing up so fast!" He pounded his hands on the ground dramatically. Zim rolled his eyes and waved the small robot off.

"Yes, Gir, so I am. I will be home shortly, Gir. Do not touch the soap or bacon!" he ordered sharply. Gir saluted his master and the arm retrieved back into his PAK. Zim pushed the skool doors open and trotted down the steps. Usually, he would be bragging in his mind about Dib's defeat, but for the entire walk home he found his thoughts occupied by the image of Gaz's performance.

Gaz slammed the front door shut, a few pictures leaping off the wall in the process. She threw the script on the couch and searched the house for her dad. Or at least, the floating screen. She found him hovering in the kitchen.

"Oh, daughter, you're home. How did the audition go?"

"It was terrible." She groaned

"They did not like it?"

"No, they liked it, but I didn't."

The professor chuckled.

"Oh, Gaz. I can see the excitement hiding in you. But don't worry. You only have to wait until tomorrow to find out the results."

"But, Dad I don't—" But her dad was all ready leaving. Her fists clenched and she stormed up the steps and into her bedroom to sleep until the skool day officially began.

**A/N**

**Poor Gaz! I know I make her dad probably seem heartless, but it is just to emphasize her feelings on her dad's constant absence. Anyways, hope you liked it! Chapter 4 will be up shortly.**


	4. The Nightmare Results

**A/N**

**I actually really enjoyed writing this chapter. I think it turned out pretty good. I hope you like it. I do not own Invader Zim or the characters!**

The day of the results had arrived. At the exact moment the skool's doors opened, a stampede of students flocked to the audition sheet pinned to the bulletin board. A few howls of excitement and many cries of disappointment echoed throughout the halls. Even Dib was rushing to see the results. He stepped around Gaz, a hopeful grin plastered to his face, and raced to the display. Gaz continued her slow, calm pace.

She saw Dib leap in the air and click his heels.

"What a dork." She exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

He raced back to his sister who was just arriving at the front steps.

"Guess what, Gaz?"

She remained silent, not giving into his game. He ignored her and continued.

"I'm the nurse!"

Gaz opened an eye and eyed her brother in disbelief.

"I thought the nurse was supposed to be a girl?"

His smile remained for two more seconds before fading all together. He pondered the thought a moment more before pushing his way back to the results. Gaz snickered and stood in a nearby corner, waiting for the crowd to disperse. Finally, after twenty minutes, she quietly walked over. Her eyes began at the bottom of the list.

"If I am even going to get a part, I need to look for a not-so-important role." She thought aloud.

Though, she found she did not see her name. Her eyes flickered up to the middle, but still her name was not printed. Her heart began to beat nervously as she dangerously eyed the top of the page. Her heart stopped when she finally found her name. Her eyes widened, she began to shake, and the textbook she had been grasping was ripped in half.

Standing behind her, Dib rested a hand on her should carefully.

"Um, Gaz? Are you okay?"

**Please understand that, due to the extreme amount of violence displayed, and the use of piggy hostility, this portion of the story had to be skipped so that teenagers/adults would have no nightmares/ wake up screaming at night or develop an never-ending fear of pigs. However, it is safe to write about what happened afterwards.**

Her feet stabbed the ground, tiles lifting and chucked out of the way. Dib followed her to the lunch room, limping and adjusting his neck brace and crutches. She ripped her packed lunch out and threw it on the table. Dib flinched with each movement.

She grumbled, muttered, and complained while she stabbed her food repetitively.

"I know you are upset about getting the part of Juliet, Gaz, but I expected you to react even worse to the news of who got Romeo." He hesitantly stated, rubbing a hand across his black eye.

She stopped dissecting her food and glared at Dib, eyes widening in fear. If Dib was concerned with something other than paranormal investigations, she knew it was serious.

"Who got the part of Romeo?" she stuttered.

**Earlier that day…**

"What? What is the meaning of this? How dare this human contraption display the wrong data!" Zim yelled as he angrily clutched the results.

Just then, Mr. Elliot walked out of a nearby room. He immediately smiled as he saw Zim holding the results of the auditions.

"Hi, Zim! So you saw the results? Aren't you just happier than a butterfly?"

Zim gaped in horror at the overly happy teacher. Even through years of Irken military training, advanced discipline, and merciless punishment, nothing could have prepared the young alien for such a disgusting display of happiness. He pushed the thought aside and waved the sheet of paper beneath the teacher's nose.

"What is the meaning of this? I do not wish to take part in this play activity!"

"Zim, I thought you would be happy with the outcome. After all, you did an excellent job performing yesterday."

"Of course I did. I am Zim! But that does not matter now. What matters is that you are saying I am this Romeo-human?"

The teacher nodded animatedly.

"That's right. I can just see your excitement about to burst out of your tiny hi-skool body!"

Zim shook with rage and grasped the sheet, reviewing the results over and over. He was not paying attention to where he was walking and tripped on a foreign object. Readjusting his wig, he glanced at the ground and saw a textbook torn in half beneath the bulletin board.

"Wha…" he questioned.

**Back at lunch…**

"What? Zim is Romeo?" Gaz yelled.

Dib nodded fearfully. He all ready had time to get over the initial shock and spent the rest of the time worrying about Gaz's reaction. Obviously, he did not prepare enough.

"It may not be so bad."

Gaz glared at Dib.

"How do you figure that, Dib?" She spat his name out as though it were a taste she wished to rid her mouth of.

"This will give you the opportunity to get closer to Zim than ever. First, you should…" But she drowned out her brother's ranting and watched as Zim entered the lunchroom. He was still clutching the paper, his eye glued to his name.

_I wonder if he knows who is going to play Juliet_? Gaz thought.

The skool day passed with more injuries brought about by Gaz, a few by Zim. The metal on the doorknob to the Membrane's house chipped off as Gaz's key slithered into the slot. The door swung open and she stepped inside, slamming the door. Dib was not home yet due to trying to reason with the director of the upcoming play that the nurse did not necessarily have to be a girl. Or so he thought. He really hoped that they did not do that on purpose just to make fun of the insane, big-headed boy.

"Hello, Daughter!" Her father greeted.

"Dad, look!"

She shoved the paper in front of the monitor. The professor rubbed his chin thoughtfully and examined the list. When he found her name, his eyes widened in shock and pride.

"You got the main part? This is wonderful!"

"No, it isn't. I didn't want the part. If I even got a part, which I hadn't planned on, I wanted something small that wouldn't matter if I even showed up."

"You should be proud, honey. Now go upstairs and begin rehearsing."

The monitor glided out of the room.

She gritted her teeth and shoved the paper in her backpack.

"Gir. I'm home." Zim stepped into the base, searching the odd house for the green dog. He watched as a green blob fell off of the ceiling, landing with a squeak, and ran to greet his master. Gir rubbed his face against Zim's leg. He took off his disguise and peered down at the poorly disguised metallic child.

"I missed my muffin…" Gir's voice dragged on.

Zim pushed the robot off and walked over to the couch, taking a seat.

"Master? You are not happy?"

Gir crawled up onto the couch and latched onto Zim's head.

He sighed.

Many years he had tried to rid the robot of the nasty habit, but it usually made it worse so he decided to let it go and stood to go down into the lab.

"No, Gir, I am not happy. Those filthy humans gave me the part of that Romeo-human!"

Gir squealed and clapped his hand frantically.

"This does not call for clapping!" Zim hollered. Gir stopped for a moment, but continued shortly after. The soft whirring of the trash can elevator filled the silence as they rode down into the lab. The door beeped and clicked open.

"That is it. I will just refuse to participate in this school activity."

"Master."

"What?" Zim yelled at the monotone computer as Gir hopped down.

"Are you sure that is wise?"  
>"Explain."<p>

"If you do not act in this play, the humans may become suspicious. It may interfere with the mission."

Zim stop to ponder the thought. Perhaps the uninterested computer was right. And there was no way he could threaten the mission, not after all the progress he had made. Even if it was not much.

He sighed in defeat.

"Maybe you're right…"

Gir trotted beside Zim and shoved the paper in his face.

"Gir, what is it now?"

Gir pointed at the top to the name beside Juliet.

"You going to be acting with Gazzy!"

"What?"

Zim ripped it out of his hands and reviewed the list.

"How can this be? The dib-sibling is going to play Juliet? Computer!"

"What?" An annoyed voice replied.

"In this play, what is this Juliet-human to the Romeo-beast?"

"They are lovers."

"Lov-ers?"

"Yes, Zim, they are in love with each other." The computer huffed.

"So the skool has assigned Gaz to be my fake-lover, huh? Very well. I will proceed with this activity and act along her side."

_I suppose it could be worse_, he thought to himself. _The other humans could not keep up, but at least Gaz would give a descent performance._ His mind wandered to her audition once again. Behind him, the computer beeped as it picked up an unfamiliar emotion emitting from his master, though Zim was oblivious to it all.

**A/N**

**Awww! I really liked how that ended! I just had to add that 'unfamiliar emotion' part. R&R!**


	5. Choices

**A/N**

**Chapter five is up! Enjoy!**

The next skool day was quite unusual to what Gaz and Zim had expected. In the morning, down in his lab, Zim messed with clothes nonstop. He straightened his shirt, adjusted his wig, and even cleaned his contacts.

"Computer?"

"What is it now, Zim?"  
>"Is something different about my uniform?"<p>

He faced the monitor and gestured everywhere.

"I am not picking up anything different. Why?"

He shrugged.

"It just doesn't seem right today. Oh well."

He smiled and began humming an oddly familiar tune, but shrugged the thought and rode the trash can elevator up to the house level. He lifted his head to see Gir sitting directly in front of the TV. The Angry Monkey on the screen growled and twitched while Gir watched with great delight. Zim tried to sneak past the obnoxious robot, but failed immediately.

"Master, your uniform—"

"Is something wrong with it?" Zim quickly interrupted.

Gir shook his head.

"Then what is wrong, Gir?"

He pointed at the Irken.

"There is a leprechaun on it." Gir whispered.

Zim ignored the random comment and walked beside Gir who had returned his attention back to the monkey.

"Today is the first day of acting, Gir. I may not be home at the usual time so stay away from the lab, the bacon, soap, waffles…" The list continued for the next twenty minutes until Zim realized he would be late if he did not leave. He stayed in the doorway a moment longer as he watched Gir tap a waffle against the TV's screen. He shivered at the thought of Gir being left home longer than needed.

"You okay?"

Gaz looked up from her empty cereal bowl and at her brother who sat at the kitchen table directly across. She lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

"You have been staring at your empty bowl for the past seven minutes now. Is something bothering you?" He suggested.

"I was just thinking of the play."

He smiled.

"Don't worry, Gaz, I know you'll do great."

"I don't care about giving a good performance. I was thinking about Zim."

Dib's eyes popped out of his head and choked on his spoon at the mention of the alien's name. But Gaz shook her head in reassurance.

"I don't really enjoy the idea of seeing Zim every single day more than I all ready have to. How am I supposed to survive acting with him?"

"It may not be so bad. I don't exactly love the idea of you constantly being by his side, but this is good for you."

"How do you figure that?" She eyed her brother dangerously, daring him to give her a reason to hurt him. Again.

He swallowed hard and thought out his words carefully.

"Dad's right. You need some form of socialization, Gaz. It isn't good to be alone all the time."

"I've survived this long haven't I?" _Besides_, she thought, _it's not like you or dad were ever there for me. Why the sudden change now?_

"But you don't seem happy. You are constantly angry and always pushing people around. Maybe this will help?"

"Maybe this will help?" She stood, shaking the table and knocking over the box of cereal. "Maybe this will help? Dib, I don't need other people to make me happy. I can survive on my own and I don't need you or dad telling me what I need to have in my life and what I don't."

He opened his mouth to speak, but she continued.

"I am doing this play because I am forced to so you both can stop worrying about poor, defenseless me."

She grabbed her backpack and headed to the door.

"I thought I was going to give you a ride to school?"  
>"I'll walk." She grumbled before slamming the door shut.<p>

On her way, she passed Zim's house and arrived in time to see him closing the door. She considered waiting for skool to talk, but decided it would be best to talk to him alone instead of having a crowd gather to watch the two supposed loners of the skool talking. She stepped up to the yard, waiting for him to turn around. After messing with his shirt again, he finally turned and jumped at the sight of the girl's sudden presence.

"Hi." She tried her best to be friendly. If they were going to be seeing each other for the next few weeks, they might as well get along.

"Gaz-human? I did not hear you."

"Sorry."

"There is no need to apologize, Dib-sibling."

"Don't call me that."

He eyed her warily.

"Call you what? Are you not the Dib-beast's sibling?"

"But I don't want to be referred to as that all the time. Just call me by my name."

Even she winced at the harsh tone her voice had obtained, but she watched him casually wave it off.

"Understood. There is no need to apologize, Gaz-hu… Gaz."

"Thanks."

He nodded respectfully and joined her on the sidewalk.

"You are headed to the skool?"

She nodded.

"Unfortunately."

He smiled at her sarcasm.

"Yes, yes it is."

They both assumed they would walk together since they had the same destination. They walked in silence the first half of the walk, only exchanging a few glances or nervous semi-smiles.

"So," Zim began, "you are the Juliet?"

She nodded.

"And you're Romeo?"

He nodded also.

"I wonder how that is going to work out."

"What do you mean?" He questioned.

"Let's face it: both of us aren't exactly what you would call social people or social…" She gestured to the alien. He nodded for her to continue. "And neither of us is used to doing stuff like this. This play is completely new to both of us. I guess I'm just curious to see how this will end."

"With applause."

"What?"  
>"A successful performance ends with applause, correct?"<p>

She thought for a moment and then smiled shyly. She forgot how determined Zim was. He always had been. It was nice to see someone else not afraid of the simple things in the world. What was scary to others was everyday stuff to Gaz. She liked to see strong confidence in another being. She couldn't necessarily say in another person.

"Yeah, that's right."

A light breeze blew her hair in her face. She pushed it away, irritated, but caught Zim staring at her. She stared back.

"Very nice."

She raised an eyebrow.

"It is not everyday that I find someone confident enough to look someone in the eye. Usually the humans cower and avoid eye contact."

"They fear rejection, I guess."

"You do not?"

"If people can't accept me for me then I am better off without them. If they want to change everything about me, make me someone I'm not, they don't need to be in my life." Her thoughts wandered to her family. Why could they not accept Gaz for the person she was? True, she was not the nicest person around, but she wasn't bad entirely. If people would give her a chance, they would see that.

"I can not imagine anyone trying to change you."

She stopped walking.

"What do you mean?"

He looked into her eyes.

"You are fine just the way you are, Gaz-human. You are strong, confident. There is a power within you that I have not seen in anyone else. The fear you cause in others is quite impressive." He smiled wickedly. "You should stay the way you are. I like it. And if you like it, than it should not matter what these other worm-babies believe. They are weak and foolish. What would they know?"

She ignored the fact that he had slipped up and called her Gaz-human again and simply stared at him. He thought that of her? And he liked who she was? She hid her blush by staring at the sidewalk_. Stop_, she told herself, _he will just end up like everyone else: not accepting you. Why should I even bother?_ But the smile he continued to give her told her otherwise. Maybe he was different. Clearly different in appearances but, when she thought about it, Zim had never judged Gaz on her outlook on life or her personality. In fact, he did the exact opposite and praised her for her courage and power. _Maybe…_

But her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the screech of a car approaching. Her eyes widened as it came closer and closer and immediately felt leather grip her arm, ready to pull her out of the way. She quickly turned and saw Zim. He was grasping her arm protectively as the oncoming vehicle screeched to a stop by the curb. Her heart raced in her chest and she could feel the adrenaline pulsing through her body. She shook as the trapped energy began stirring in her body. Zim released her, yet she instantly missed the warming comfort that had left along with it.

Just then, the door opened and Dib stepped out.

"What are you doing, Dib? You could've hit us!" Gaz yelled.

"Don't worry, Gaz. I saw you. But what are you doing with him? I thought you were walking to skool?"

"I was. I still am. I just happened to find him and decided to talk, if it matters."

"Of course it matters. He's an alien! You need to stay away from him and watch your back."

"Foolish, Dib-beast! How dare you talk in such a way of the mighty Zim!" Zim pointed a claw at him sharply. Dib ignored his usual outburst and faced his sister once more.

"In case you don't remember, Dib, Zim and I have the lead roles in Romeo and Juliet and we are going to be seeing each other every day from here until the play ends. It is not like I can avoid him just because you are paranoid."

"I just want you to be safe."

"I'll be fine."

But Dib ignored her and walked to the car.

"Come one, Gaz. I'll give you a ride to skool."

She hesitated but then her eyebrows furrowed in irritation.

"No."

"What?" He paused as he held the door mid-open.

"I'm not going with you. I am walking to skool with him. Come on, Zim."

She grabbed Zim's hand and led him away. Zim froze at the contact but found himself wanting more as she released her grip. He was confused by the sudden desire, but pushed the thought aside and blamed it on the fact that his PAK was probably malfunctioning. Dib gaped in horror as his sister left with the alien.

**A/N**

**So did you like it? Sorry if this wasn't as good as the others. For some reason I just could not concentrate today. Probably due to lack of sleep. I'll have six up very soon though.**

**Oh and I wanted to point out a few things. In the beginning whenever Zim was messing with his clothes and adjusting them over and over again, it was because he was self-conscious about his appearance. He wasn't really sure why but it was because it was the first day he was to be spending with Gaz. Also, whenever he is humming the 'oddly familiar tune', I wanted to add a little humor. The tune he was humming was the Invader Zim theme song :). **

**Sorry if the characters were OOC this chapter, I just wanted to add a little more 'spark' in Gaz and Zim's relationship. Tell me if I need to slow down or speed it up. I think it is paced pretty good, but I want to hear what you guys have to say :). Next chapter up shortly!**


	6. I am your Romeo

**A/N**

**Yay! I'm so happy! This is my longest chapter so far! Not by much but still, every little but counts :). This one has a more Zagr moments than any other chapters, I think. I hope you like it and I hope everyone is in character and nothing is cheesy. Let me know if it is. I really like how this story is coming so far and I don't want to ruin it for you guys. Thanks! Your reviews are greatly appreciated. **

The pair had grown closer as the day progressed. The last few minutes of lunch were spent together. Zim would do simple deeds such as holding the door open for her or letting her go first, but she appreciated the fact that he respected her enough not to ask to carry her lunch or her books. It made her feel as though he was aware she was not weak, that she could easily do all of this on her own. A gentleman was good for every girl, but Gaz was not like every other girl. She found herself enjoying his company and the kind gestures, but also liked that he was not overbearing with it. The bell rang and most of the students flocked home, but some, including Zim, Gaz, and Dib, remained. They made their way to the auditorium where rehearsals would be held.

Dib attempted eye contact through out the day, but Gaz rejected each time and looked the other way. She would feel guilty for a moment but it quickly passed as she realized she was just sticking up for herself. She wanted her family to realize that not everyone would reject her because she was who she was. At the head of the room, Mr. Elliot clapped his hands and gathered the attention of the students.

"Welcome all, to the first day of rehearsal! Isn't this just exciting?"

The students grumbled in false, awkward agreement. Gaz and Zim eyed each other, fear evident on their faces. The teacher's constant joyous attitude even frightened Gaz sometimes. The two remained side-by-side, sure that the teacher would place them together anyway.

"I just wanted to make sure that everyone is aware of their parts so when I call out the part, you step forward if it is your role. Let's begin with Romeo and Juliet."

They both blushed and shyly stepped forward. As soon as they did, the entire room was filled with whispers and gossip. They scanned the room to find every pair of eyes on them, but accepted the fact that this was going to happen for a while, at least until everyone got used to the two's roles. The teacher nodded and they stepped back, relieved to be in the safety of the shadows.

A few more roles were listed before the teacher called Dib's part.

"Okay, who is the nurse?"

Dib stepped forward proudly, but shrank back in silence when some of the students snickered. He could have sworn he heard the words nurse, girl, and Dib.

After the roles were reassured, the teacher grabbed a big box. Inside were the scripts. He gathered the attention of everyone again and all eyes were on him as he wandered across the stage.

"This box contains the script for Romeo and Juliet. Due to time, our play will be slightly shorter than the original, but it will still have the major scenes such as the balcony scene."

Gaz's heart skipped a beat. She had completely forgotten about the balcony scene! Wasn't there a kiss between Romeo and Juliet in that scene or was that a different scene? She glanced at Zim, but discovered, to her surprise, he remained unfazed. _He probably doesn't even know what that means. I doubt other planets are forced to read it_, she thought.

"Each of the scripts is made for each role. For example, Romeo will have a script, Juliet will have a separate script, and so on and so on. I will choose two people to help pass it out to the designated owners. Let's see…" He ran his finger over the crowd. "Dib and Zita, will you please help me?"

They both rose and grabbed the scripts, passing it out to each member. Unfortunately, Dib got Gaz's and Zim's scripts. He handed it gently to his sister, whispering a rejected apology, but threw it at Zim's head who hissed in return. Gaz chuckled at their maturity.

"Now that everyone has a script, I would like you to take a moment and review your lines. If you have many, I would like you to come get a highlighter and highlight your parts."

Each student grabbed a highlighter and began their work. Gaz flipped through the booklet, drawing across every Juliet that appeared. When she was finished, she was shocked at the realization of how many lines she had. She was even more surprised when she realized how many scenes there were between her and Zim. She knew to expect a good amount because the play was centered on their characters, but there were many. And many were rather intimate; she saw this as she read the words in parentheses. Holding hands, hugging, sitting beside each other, it was all new to her. But her heart skipped a beat when she landed on the balcony scene. This was one of the most important and memorable scenes in the play and it included a kiss. A kiss between Romeo and Juliet. A kiss between Zim and Gaz.

"G-Gaz?"

Her head jerked up to face Zim. She noticed the color in his face was drained and his eyes were larger than Gir's piggies.

"Yeah?"

"This, this script… it says Romeo and Juliet are to…kiss?"

He looked up in horror.

She nodded and felt the heat rising in her body.

"Yeah, I know."

"Isn't a kiss when two people's lips meet?" He used his hands to demonstrate the act.

She nodded meekly.

"That's a kiss."

"Will you be okay with that, Gaz?"

"Huh?"

He leaned on his arm, instantly closer to her. She leaned back slightly at the sudden nearness. She was never one to be close with someone, but she never felt embarrassed or shy when she was. Why was she feeling this way with Zim?  
>"Will you be okay with me kissing you?"<p>

He looked deeply into her eyes, trying to read her thoughts before she spoke them.

"It's just acting, so it will fine, Zim."

He nodded and then starred thoughtlessly at the ceiling.

"Is everyone finished?"

They both jerked their heads towards the teacher's sudden, intruding voice. Everyone appeared to be nodding so the teacher smiled and continued.

"Since we are finished, I would like to begin rehearsing some of our parts."

He called various rolls, many of the smaller ones, to the stage and had them get into character and read their lines. Suggestions were made, ideas were exchanged, and anxiety grew in the air. It was quite a sight, that group of students, as they became nervous all over again. It was as if the day of results was repeating itself. Zim was messing with his wig while Gaz tugged at her skull necklace. He was reminded of how weak the other humans were compared to her at the sight of the students missing words and stuttering over and over. The teacher walked onto the stage again after the students finished.

"Before we do anything else, I would like our main roles, Gaz and Zim, to try a scene or two."

The pair looked up nervously at the teacher. No going back. Their time had arrived. Gaz was never nervous, but when the teacher told her he wanted her to come up first, she found her body growing limp and her head become cloudy. Then she turned and saw Zim giving her that reassuring smile once more. All at once, her confidence returned. She stepped onto the stage.

"Okay Gaz, I would like you to read the lines you read for the audition."

So she read the lines. As she did, she saw all eyes glued on her. And to her surprise, she found Zim's stare the most captivating. Her eyes remained on his stare the entire time until she finished. Once she did, every person in the room was clapping, except one. Zim. He remained still, staring at Gaz, mouth slightly agape. She thought that perhaps her performance was not good, but watched him smile and clap louder than the rest.

"Wonderful Gaz! That was superb." Though Mr. Elliot's comment remained unheard as she walked off the stage in a daze and took her seat by Zim once again.

Zim had to rehearse his lines from the audition also. The crowd of students enjoyed it as much as Gaz's performance, but held their breath with the teacher's next request.

"Okay, Gaz, Zim. That was an excellent display of talent. You did great, but now I want to see how you two perform together." He explained to the two teenagers as they listened with interest, but also with fear. "You two are going to be together this entire play. Every scene you do, you will do with the other." Zim gave a half-smile to Gaz who returned the favor and looked away shyly. "So I want you guys to get used to it from day one. Would you mind trying your hand at the balcony scene?"

Gaz and Dib both looked up abruptly at the teacher. Zim had obviously forgotten what the balcony scene meant. Her mind raced. _Oh no_, she thought, _that would mean performing the kiss scene_! She opened her mouth to ask, but luckily, the teacher was all ready a step ahead.

"You do not have to kiss for rehearsals. Just do an air kiss. Act like you are, though."

Gaz thought back to the play she had been forced to read years earlier.

"I thought the kiss was in a different scene?" She questioned the teacher. She was not repulsed by the idea of a kiss, at least not completely, but she did not want to act it out in front of a group of hundreds of people.

"Our script is a little different from William Shakespeare's play due to time, so we had to cut some scenes and add things, such as the kiss, to different scenes. Like when Romeo and Juliet meet in the play, they kiss, but we are not doing that in ours. There is only a total of one kiss in our play."

"Okay…"

"Zim, since we do not have a balcony right now, you will remain on the ground while Gaz is on the stage. Pretend that the stage is her balcony."

Zim nodded and walked to his spot.

She was worried about how it would turn out, but listened and climbed the steps

of the stairs until she was directly above Zim.

"You may start."

"He jests at scars that never found a wound!" Zim began.

Gaz stepped forward as if walking onto the balcony.

"But soft," Zim continued, "what light through yonder window breaks?"

His words became distant as Gaz watched him. He was acting as though they really were Romeo and Juliet, forbidden lovers, people in their lives preventing their love. But she tripped on the thought. The people of Zim and Gaz's lives really did prevent them from being anything to each other, even friends alone. Zim was Gaz's Romeo. She blushed at the thought and quickly jumped into her lines once it was her turn.

"Oh, Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou, Romeo?"

As their part progressed, so did the physical contact between the two. At one part, Gaz's script told her to lean down over the balcony's railing and reach for Romeo's hand. She extended her hand and Zim gently took it. She then lightly grazed her free hand across his cheek. A purr emitted from within his throat as he leaned into the pleasing gesture. He gazed up into her eyes, no words coming out. After a supposed dramatic pause, he continued reading his lines. The teacher assumed it was part of the act and grew happier, but what he did not know was that they were no longer acting.

As Zim held tight onto Gaz's hand, wooing her with the lines of the script, she glanced into the crowd and found Dib. He was pointing angrily, mouth agape; similar to what he did after Zim's shocking audition. She smirked and returned to her Prince Charming. _At least, according to the play_, she silently reminded herself. But she enjoyed the entire scene, especially holding hands. It felt good to have someone near without fear or judgment. It was something else she was not used to. But it was certainly a new feeling she could get used to.

A/N

I know! But I just had to add that balcony scene lol. I hope you liked it!


	7. Foreign Feelings

**A/N **

**Yeeep! I know you guys are going to love this chapter! The moment you have all been waiting for (one of the moments) has finally arrived. Someone requested it in a review so I decided to add it in Chapter 7. I had so much fun writing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it and remember to review!**

The first day of rehearsal had been pretty awkward for Gaz because she was not used to showing affection, especially displaying it for a crowd of people to see. But she enjoyed herself. When they parted ways, Gaz could not help but think about Zim. When they were acting together on the stage with Zim gazing into her eyes, she found that he was actually attractive, even handsome. She had walked home and stayed in her room for the rest of the evening, avoiding her father and specifically her brother. She just wasn't up for a long lecture about aliens and the lack of feelings they had. She would save it for later. All she wanted to do was lie in bed and think about the day she had experienced, which is exactly what she did. She must have fallen asleep because the last time she looked at her clock, it was three in the afternoon, but the next thing she knew, she was blinking her eyes open. She glanced at the clock and it was now seven forty two. Luckily, Dib was not home. Every night, between six and nine o'clock, Dib would search a nearby forest for any traces of Big Foot.

Gaz snorted.

"He's such a dork…" She mumbled happily.

She stretched, but remained seated on her bed. Her mind drifted to Zim again. The way he held her hand, the gentle look in his eyes… _His real eyes are actually quite beautiful_. She thought dreamily.

A soft tap snapped her attention away from her thoughts and to the window. She pulled the drapes aside and was startled to see Zim. She opened the door and immediately, one of his extended spider legs grasped the inside of the window and he hopped inside.

"What are you doing here?" She questioned. She looked at the ground to hide her blushing face as if he could have possibly heard her thoughts.

"I came to see you." He admitted.

She gazed up at him, shocked but happy. She had to admit it herself: she had wanted to see him ever since they parted ways after rehearsals. All of these feelings were new to her. She did not know whether or not to flee or give in to them. She had never given her trust to anyone, rarely even her own family. What made Zim so different? Besides the obvious facts, he was probably just like everyone else. But she knew that was a lie. He was so different, it was amazing. He looked, acted, and thought differently than the other humans of this planet. She highly doubted the foreign feelings were that of love, but what if she was wrong? She was afraid to surrender her feelings and trust to anyone. She did not want to get hurt again. She was aware that she could not trust anyone; no one was ever really there for her except for her mother, but she was gone. The day she died, something changed within Gaz. She lost all trust, all hope in the people of Earth. The scars remained to this day; the exact reason she stood struggling with herself to even answer as Zim waited patiently. He could tell the human was having difficulty accepting the possible new feelings. He was not sure how long it would take for her to recognize that it was okay to feel that way, but what he did know was that he would wait forever for her.

Zim had developed the same foreign feelings for the girl. His planet had always taught the Irkens that it was forbidden to feel such emotions. He grew up believing love was a crime. But that day he watched Gaz audition for the play, the moment he saw the amount of courage within her, those crimes became expectable. He could not explain it himself, but he knew that he would never get rid of the feelings. And he did not mind, to his surprise and liking, either.

He saw her struggle and wanted to help her, so he did. He extended his hand, similar to the way she gave him her hand that first day of rehearsals. Her first thought was worrying about Dib. What if he came home early to find her gone? Knowing Dib, he would call the police, even the SWAT team to send out search teams for his sister, even though she may have been right down the street_. _

_He would probably call his geeky Swollen Eyeball club too_, she thought.

She considered staying, but quickly pushed the thought aside. Her family wanted her to socialize and be with people so she was going to. Even if he wasn't human or they didn't accept him, she would still go. She would not allow them to control her life and the people she saw. No one was going to stop her from seeing Zim.

She shyly gazed at his hand a moment before looking into his eyes. It was as if his eyes had whispered "Trust me." So she took hold of his hand and he backed slowly out of the room and through the window. His spider legs latched onto the side of the wall and he gestured for her to come. She looked at the ground and, before she had time to question how she was to get down, he took care of it. He placed a hand on her waist, the other still grasping her hand. He tugged her hand into the air to show that he wanted her to stand on the windowsill. She was terrified for she had always feared heights, but he remained smiling reassuringly. She took a hesitant step onto the ledge, her entire body shaking, and managed to find her balance. When she did, she sat down and he reached his arms out. She placed a hand around his neck, the other still clinging to the window, and scooted off slowly until she was in his arms. He smiled down at her and crawled down the side of the house. The entire time, Gaz felt the heat in her body rising and flowing out through her face which remained a fiery red.

It was as though time had slowed, even stopped all together. She reached a hand up to glide it across his face. He closed his eyes, the metallic legs taking over. She tucked her face into the side of his neck and took in his scent. He did not move but merely allowed the girl to remain. She did not know how long they had been on the ground. All she knew was that it came too soon. She crawled out of his arms and he helped her stand.

She was afraid to look him in the eyes at first, fearing the rejection. She did not expect him to tug at her arm and point behind her. The voot cruiser was parked behind a bush by the side of her house. It opened and he led her over. He held out his hand which she took immediately. He helped her climb over and inside, smiling the entire time.

"Where are we going?" She asked as she stepped into her seat.

He took a seat beside her and closed the top.

"You'll see." He replied.

The tiny cruiser hovered above the ground before taking off into the sky. They rode in silence, exchanging occasional glances. At one point, Zim had rested his hand between them. Gaz, not realizing this, yawned and placed her hand atop of his.

"Oh, sorry." She apologized, pulling back quickly. But he took his other hand away from the controls and placed it on her hand which still remained on his.

"Don't. I like it."

He chuckled as her crimson face deepened dramatically in color. So they remained holding hands for the rest of the ride. The voot cruiser finally stopped, hovering over a hill that overlooked the city. The lid opened and Gaz leaned forward to take in the sight. Night had long settled over the city, the lights glowing from down below. She gazed up at the full moon that shined brightly with the many stars that speckled across the night sky.

"Gaz?"

She turned to face the Irken, but became confused when he smiled shyly at the ground. She grew even more worried when he hesitated and stopped to rethink his thoughts. Zim was never one to be shy. She knew that he was never ashamed of his actions or really considered the consequences of anything. She laughed mentally at the thought of the invader, yet still waited for him to continue.

"Yes, Zim?"

He faced her suddenly as if he had forgotten she was there.

"What are your thoughts on me?"

Not what she had expected.

"What do you mean?"

"Dib thinks I am a disgusting alien, a retched monster who—"

But she would hear no more.

"Dib is wrong." She stated, shaking her head. He was not a monster. Not Zim.

"So you do not agree with him?"

"Of course not. Why would I?"

"What do you think of me then?" He hesitated.

How was she to reply? This was entirely new to her. She had never taken such a bold risk. She stopped to think of her feelings, but was surprised by what she had concluded. She was in love with him. Each time she was near him, she felt her stomach begin to twist and turn. Each time he smiled, her body felt as though it were on fire. She would find herself longing just to see him again. So she did what she had never done before. She took a bold leap and the distance between the two began to slowly dissolve.

"You are different. You are nothing like the others. You are gentle, trustworthy, and respectful. You have never judged me and you accept me for me. I have been searching for someone like you my entire life and…"

But she struggled to finish her thoughts.

He leaned closer to her.

"…And?"

She took a deep breath and looked him directly in the eyes. He smiled as he saw her confidence returning.

"And I think that I finally found you."

Zim leaned his face towards her and cupped her face gently. He gazed at her lips and brushed his lightly across, inviting her, yet requesting permission to continue. She felt a spark run through her entire body and craved even more. She got closer and he knew: she was ready. He pressed his lips firmly against her, his claws combing through her hair and taking in the feel of her. Her hand slowly glided up to his wig and traced the hairline of it. He purred in pleasure. His hand fell from her hair and onto her face. His fingers began caressing and tracing her jaw line.

She pulled back slowly, wanting more but desperately needing air. He grabbed her arms and pulled her close against his body. She sighed at the welcoming warmth and rested her head on his chest. A hand absentmindedly traced the muscles that showed through the material of his Irken uniform. He sighed in delight at the soft sensation.

His finger found its way beneath her chin and lifted her face up to look at him. He lowered his face until his mouth was beside her ear and whispered "I'm yours."

His breath tickled as it trickled across her neck.

"And I am yours." She breathed.

His rubbed across her back and he held onto her tightly.

Once she was completely relaxed, she had time to think. She was not acting like herself, she knew that. She knew that if Dib were there he would completely freak out, have a nervous breakdown. She knew that if she told her dad of her first love, he would ignore her and focus on his science. But one thing she did not know what whether or not she could wait till the kiss scene in Romeo and Juliet.

**A/N**

**And there you have it! They finally kissed! I bet you Zagr fans had a heart attack lol! Tell me if you liked the kiss scene or if it was too cheesy. Reviews are EXTREMELY appreciated because I am not used to writing romance so it's good to know if I am doing it correctly or not. Thank you guys so much for your patience. I write a chapter every single day and load it right after I am finished, so I hope the wait has not been too long. Chapter 8 will be up soon!**


	8. Her Pain, His Love

**A/N**

**Chapter 8 is here! I will warn you, this chapter is kind of sad, but the middle part is completely cute, at least I think! Plus the end is extremely fluffy lol. Review!**

Luckily, Gaz left Zim and arrived home three minutes before Dib stepped through the door. She was all ready in her room, acting as though she had been there the entire time. Little did Dib know that his sister was really busy kissing his enemy. She laughed at the thought of how Dib would react, should he find out. But she pushed the worry out of her head and focused on herself, Zim, and the kiss they had shared. It was so sudden, so unexpected, but she did not mind it at all. She knew that if anyone else would have tried that with her, she would have ripped their arm off and beat them with it.

She could not get the thoughts out of her head, especially the play, so she turned a lamp on and pulled out the script. She flipped to the balcony scene and smiled as she read the parentheses that stated _Romeo and Juliet kiss_. She walked to the furthest corner of her room and sat down, reading the script in her mind over and over until she began reading her lines out loud. At first, she began in a near-whisper, but as she got further into the script and more into character, her voice grew louder and louder until she was speaking as though she were performing on the stage. It felt as though she could almost feel the spotlight on her, the crowd watching intensively. She could nearly feel Zim's hand grasping hers and giving her that wonderful smile. She was completely unaware at the volume of her voice until she heard a knock at the door.

"Great." She mumbled, knowing exactly who it was. Just as she had thought, Dib stood in the hallway and waved when she opened the door. She was not in the mood to be dealing with her family or their lectures.

"What?" She hissed.

"I just wanted to let you know I was home."

"Good for you." She began to close the door, but he held a hand up to signal he was not finished talking. She opened it back up and waited impatiently.

"Uh… I thought I heard you talking. And it sounded like Romeo and Juliet?"

"So?" She was embarrassed that he heard.

"Were you rehearsing your lines?"

She nodded.

He could easily sense her embarrassment and remembered that this was all completely new to Gaz. She was taking a big, new step into life and whether or not she would admit it, she was terrified. He knew she would probably end up rejecting him, but he planned to be there for her anyways, anytime she may need his help.

"That's great, Gaz!"

"I _am_ going to do this play, Dib. Did you think I would quit?"

He shook his head.

"No, I just didn't really expect you to be so into it. But everyone is right. You really are an incredible performer. Maybe you should consider doing this more often."

"Maybe."

He could see that she was not going to budge so he decided to end their conversation.

"Well I just wanted to let you know that I am really proud of you and you're doing a great job." He waved. "Goodnight."

She began to feel guilty. She could be difficult to talk to at times, she knew, and she also knew that he really was trying to be a supporting brother. He wasn't doing anything wrong, but Gaz needed more. She needed a friend, someone she could confide in and trust not to judge her or try to change her. Zim was all of that, but he was also Dib's enemy. _But he was trying…_

"Wait."

"Yeah?"

"Do you really think I can do it?" She hesitated because she was afraid of the answer but she needed to know.

He answered immediately.

"Of course I do. They couldn't have picked a better person for the part, Gaz. And I meant what I said. I really am proud of you."

She smiled and he walked away to leave her to her thoughts. Dib was a very understanding brother. No matter how many times she hurt him, physically or emotionally, he was always there for her. She could tell him anything and he wouldn't look at her different; except for her kiss with Zim. She sighed and closed the door.

When she was alone with herself and her thoughts, she suddenly began feeling very lonely. Secretly, she had always envied the girls at skool because they had friends. They had someone to trust. They had someone they could hang out with and just be themselves. They also had someone they could tell good news too, such as their first kiss. But Gaz had no one. No one to trust. No one to be herself with. And no one to tell about her first kiss and her first love. She didn't even have her family. If she told Dib, he would freak out. And she knew that her dad would not even listen to something as unimportant as her life. The only person she could talk to was Zim, but it wouldn't really matter if she told Zim about the kiss; he had experienced it with her.

Her face grew hot, though not because she was blushing like when she was around Zim. This time, it grew hot from her internal pain and struggle. She fell onto her bed and buried her face into the pillow, muffling the cries of pain and loneliness that could be heard coming from Gaz Membrane's room.

Across town, Zim parked the voot cruiser, smiling dreamily. He found himself walking down to the house level where he found Gir. As always, he was planted directly in front of the TV. Zim was in such a good mood that he plopped down beside him and laughed as the Angry Monkey growled and foamed at the mouth. Gir looked up at his master, clearly confused as a bar of soap dangled from his mouth, but clapped his hands and giggled manically. He offered the soap to Zim, but he politely declined his offer. Gir just continued to laugh. Gir was even happier than usual, Zim noticed, but he had a reason. He was happy because his master was doing something he had not done in a very long time.

He was smiling.

Gir sensed that Zim was happy, but he was not sure why and it didn't make a difference. All he cared was that his master was happy and that made Gir happy. After seven hours of The Angry Monkey Show and a trip to Gir's favorite taco restaurant, Zim grabbed Gir and placed him on the couch. Irkens did not require sleep and neither did the SIR units, but Gir chose to sleep because 'his head had a built in TV'. Zim knew he was referring to dreams and simply chuckled and went along with it.

Gir lay down on the couch and Zim grabbed a blanket out of his PAK. After tucking Gir in, he turned to leave but felt metallic hand grasp his wrist.

"Yes, Gir?" He asked, turning to face the robot. Gir fiddled nervously with the blanket and looked shyly at the ground, hesitating.

"Gir?" Zim questioned in concern. His small companion was not one for embarrassment or hesitation, so this raised a great worry in the Irken.

"W-Would you read me a bedtime story, master?"

Zim blinked, but smiled warmly at his friend and nodded.

Moments later, Zim was finishing the story and glancing down at the robot sound asleep on his lap. He did something even he was shocked with: he hugged Gir before placing him back on the couch and leaving for his lab.

As soon as the elevator clicked open, an odd beeping filled the room. He raised an eyebrow at his computer and walked across the room until he was right in front of it.

"Computer? Is something wrong?"

"Unfamiliar waves picked up."

"Unfamiliar waves? What is it now?" He huffed.

He assumed that perhaps Dib had planted yet another spy bug inside his base. _Such an annoying, big-headed boy_, he thought. But his computer evaluated something completely different.

"The waves are coming from you, master."

The alien's antenna perked up.

"Me? Why? Is my PAK malfunctioning?"

"Negative. Foreign emotional waves are being picked up."

"A new emotion? What possible emotion could that be?"

The computer remained silent as an arm extended from the wall and ran a blue light across Zim's body.

"Tracker is showing love."

"Love?"

"Along with incredible amounts of happiness. Master, is something wrong?"

He chuckled at the question but shook his head in disbelief.

"Why would something be wrong? I am just happy, I guess."

"Why?"  
>He shrugged and walked away. His computer had many questions but would have to ask them later. It scanned through its memory files to search for possible factors affecting Zim's behavior, but came up empty-handed. Then, he recalled Zim speaking about Gaz the night before.<p>

"Perhaps this new female has influenced the master?" It questioned before turning on stand by.

Rain pounded the roof of Zim's base. The darkened sky did not help lighten the atmosphere either. He was messing with his PAK when he heard the doorbell ring. His antenna raised in confusion.

"What human could that be at this hour, especially when it is raining?"

But he still put on his disguise and opened the door. He did not have time to see who it was for the person embraced him tightly. His skin began burning and he glared down but saw dripping purple hair.

"Gaz?"

She sniffled.

"I'm sorry to come this late. I just needed to talk to someone."

He pulled her back to look at her. She had been crying for hours and she was heavily drenched from the storm. She looked like a miserable child as she stood there dripping and crying.

"You can come to me anytime, Gaz. And we will talk, but let us first get you dry."

He led her to his room and placed in her in front of the large fireplace that sat the corner. She glanced around and realized that it was a very simple room. Only a triangular bed with the Irken symbol on it, a couch, a screen on the wall, and the fireplace occupied it. He grabbed another blanket and wrapped it lightly around her shoulders. She tugged at the fabric and found that even that felt different. He took a seat beside her and stared at her with concern filling his eyes. He wanted to protect her, to take all of her pain away. It was hard for him to realize that he could not protect her from the world.

"Gaz?"

She looked up at him, wiping a remaining tear away.

"Why are you crying?"

She shook her head in disappointment at herself. She did not like feeling so weak, especially in front of Zim. But he grabbed her face and turned her to look at him. When he smiled sadly, fresh tears came. So he stopped.

"No," she whimpered, "please don't stop smiling. I love your smile." She admitted with a sniffle. "I guess I am just getting so sick of it all."

"What do you mean?"

"I am completely alone in this world. The only person I have ever had was my mom and she died when I was very young. Dad and Dib are never there for me. Dib tries, but dad doesn't even act like a father. I still wonder if he even remembers my name half of the time. They expect so much of me, though. They want me to be this person that I am not; they want me to suddenly have all of these friends so that I will be out of their hair. They say that isn't it, but I know it is. And you. I know they would never accept us."

He grabbed her face and pulled her where she was facing him completely.

"That does not matter. We have been searching for each other our entire lives and now I have finally found you. I will never allow anyone to take you away." He growled darkly. "Never."

She smiled at his determination. She could rely on him for anything; a friend, a lover, anything.

He pushed lightly on her shoulders until she was lying down on the couch. He crawled on top of her, most of his body remaining beside her, and kissed her gently. The skin on his face sizzled as her tears came in contact with him, but he did not even notice. He brushed the hair stuck to her face from the rain caressed her neck. His hand then smoothly rode down her arm and he pulled back.

She buried her face into his shirt ad he picked her up. They were both aware that the sun would begin rising in a few hours and that Gaz did require sleep so he stepped into the elevator and headed up to the house. He placed her on a kitchen chair and wiped away her tears.

"Gosh, I probably look terrible right now." She chuckled miserably.

He kissed the top of her hand.

"You are beautiful."

She hesitated but knew she had to leave.

"I better go. Dib doesn't know I'm gone and I have to get some sleep."

He smiled and nodded.

They walked to the front door and opened it slowly, minding the sleeping Gir on the couch who kicked and giggled from his dreams or 'head TV'.

"Bye, Zim."

"I will see you tomorrow at skool, Gaz."

She stepped out into the rain, but did not leave the porch. He cupped her face with his claw.

"I will always be there for you. I will be your friend, your love, and your reason."

She smiled at his kind words, but he was not finished. He stepped out of the safety of his base and out into the rain. Gaz became concerned when his skin smoked painfully.

"I will remain by your side forever, if it is what you want, Gaz."

Her eyes stung from fresh tears, but it was no longer tears of pain. It was tears of relief, tears of happiness. She knew she did not need anyone else. Who cared if her family wanted her to have a dozen friends? All she needed was Zim. He would be the only friend she ever needed. She hugged him tightly and pressed her face beside his neck.

"It's what I want." She whispered.

**A/N**

**Okay, I know that Zim was extremely out of character, but I just wanted to add a little fluff lol. Tell me if it was too much so I'll know for future reference. I am trying to make this a pretty romantic story but I don't want to overdo it and completely ruin the story. Trust me, I wouldn't mind making it extremely cheesy (lol), but it would probably destroy the story for the characters would all be extremely out of character. I hope you liked that last part with Gaz coming to his house. I almost uploaded this chapter without it, but I thought it needed more Zagr moments in it. Thank you guys for sticking with me this far! And don't worry! The final performance for Romeo and Juliet is coming very soon and it is going to be sweet :).**


	9. How Much He Really Has

**A/N**

**I am going to warn you. This chapter is kind of sad. Sorry about that, but I wanted to add this chapter at some point of the story. Review! **

Time passed and the day of the final performance for Romeo and Juliet was quickly approaching. Zim and Gaz grew very close over that time, only seeing each other when they could sneak away from the judging eye of Dib and the others. Either late at night, early in the morning before the alarm went off, or quick visits during skool, they always made it a point to see one another at least once a day. Dib was completely oblivious to his sister's first love, only believing they saw each other during play rehearsals. He could have never guessed where she really was the times she left the house.

On one particular rehearsal, Gaz grew excited but nervous. The body of students that were to perform Romeo and Juliet pretty much had the play down. The only part that the teacher began focusing on was the balcony scene. They had rehearsed it over and over, but they only faked kissing. Each time, the teacher grew more excited to try the real thing. Gaz felt awkward to kiss her brother's enemy right in front of him, so she waited until the perfect opportunity arrived.

The only time in the history of Dib's skool career, he was absent. He had gotten sick and refused to stay home, but their dad forced him to.

"You'll have to tell me what I miss today in rehearsal, okay?" He coughed.

Gaz had simply nodded.

She would tell him the basic details, though not anything big like her kissing Zim. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the teacher clapping.

"Okay guys, let's begin!" Mr. Elliot yelled.

Gaz stood and walked over to the stage, Zim right by her side.

"As you know, the day of the performance is quickly nearing. We have all of our lines memorized, we have our costumes ready, and you are all doing a wonderful job on your acting, but there is one more scene I would like to focus on before the date comes."

Gaz thought it as he said it aloud, "The balcony scene."

"Now I know we have been rehearsing this one a lot, but I would really like to do the real thing today. Are you guys ready?"

Zim and Gaz nodded.

"Okay, the nurse is absent so can we have someone grab a script and fill in for Dib?"

Gaz's eyes widened.

Oh, shoot! She had forgotten that Dib would be the one to come on the stage right after their kiss. She could almost feel the awkwardness rising as she stepped onto the stage and climbed the balcony steps. They finally had a realistic balcony and she had to admit, it didn't look too bad. She could almost imagine a real Romeo and Juliet sharing a night together.

Zim positioned himself to the sides of the stage, right behind the curtains. Gaz stepped back into the shadows, waiting for her turn to step out and begin her lines.

"Okay and action!" Mr. Elliot hollered.

Zim stepped out of the shadows and Gaz immediately began staring. He was dressed as Romeo and he looked very handsome. The costume consisted of a blue shirt with black sleeves, covered by a black vest. The sleeves of the shirt had white stripes going down it, contrasting perfectly with his black dress pants. She smiled at the memory of how hard it was to get him to change out of his Irken uniform. He began his lines and she watched in awe as he crossed the stage gracefully, awaiting his love. She stepped out onto the balcony and gazed at the audience as if unaware of 'Romeo's' presence.

"Ay me!" She began.

"She speaks! Oh speak again bright angel…!"

It was hard for her to avoid eye contact with him, but she had to remain in character. When she was to finally realize it was him, she quickly stepped to the edge and reached her hand over the railing. Zim climbed the fence covered in fake flowers which rested against the balcony. He took in the image of Gaz. She wore a royal-like crimson dress with golden chains looped around her neck. He grasped her hand and she smiled while running her free hand across his face. So many times they had touched before, but still it felt like magic, as if they were just meeting once again. He purred and gazed thoughtfully into her eyes.

"Henceforth I will never be Romeo." Zim declared.

In the play, Juliet asks Romeo to stop being himself so that they may be together without any judgment or criticism. Gaz tried to imagine asking Zim to change everything about himself, stop being Zim and drop everything for her, but she couldn't imagine asking that of him. _I would be just as bad as my family_, she thought.

Zim climbed a step higher, gazing into her eyes and leaning forward. She looked down at her Romeo and leaned closer also. The students in the audience found themselves inching closer as the distance between the two began disappearing. Mr. Elliot held his clasped hands tightly, a tear shining in his eye.

Their lips lightly brushed against each other, similar to their first kiss, and Zim wrapped a claw around and behind her neck, pulling her closer. She felt her eyes roll back and give into the feeling. She secretly grasped his hand that still held onto the balcony railing. He held it tightly and did not let it go once. It was not called for in the play, but she couldn't resist being as close to Zim as she could get. When they pulled back, applause filled the room, Mr. Elliot broke down into a fit of happy tears, but Gaz and Zim remained lost in each other's eyes.

"So how did rehearsal go?"

That was the first thing that came out of Dib's mouth the second Gaz found him in his room in bed. She rested his books and homework on the floor and took a seat at his desk.

"Normal. Nothing really interesting happened." She lied.

"Oh, okay. Did you have fun?"  
>She nodded in fear that speaking would bring a blush to her face.<p>

"That's good. Hey, are you okay?"

She shook her head sheepishly.  
>"Yeah, why?"<p>

"I don't know you just seem different. Are you sure nothing happened today?"

"I'm sure. Well, I have to go do homework."

Dib watched in confusion as his sister quickly left the room and closed her door.

"I wonder what that was all about?"

A few hours later, Gaz finished putting her clothes on and looked herself over in the mirror. She was about to meet Zim at his house to take a walk through the park at night. After satisfied with her appearance, she started down the steps. She snuck past the kitchen to avoid Dib, but he still saw her.

"Where are you going?"

She backtracked and put on an emotionless expression.

"I'm going to go hang out with a few friends. I'll be back later."

"Wait? Friends? Really?"

She eyed him curiously as he grew more excited with each word.

"That's great, Gaz! I was wondering why you seemed different, but I guess this is why."

She tried to walk away but he stopped her again.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Dad is going to be home tonight."

Her face fell immediately.

"He is?"

"I think so. At least he said he would."

"Oh." What her father said and what he actually did were two different things. Basically, whenever he said he was going to be home, he usually never came.

"Well, have fun!"

She walked out and slammed the door.

"He was that happy because he thinks I have friends? I wish I knew he would be that happy to know I am leaving to see Zim."

She glared at the sidewalk, thinking of her father.

"Why can't he just be a dad for once?" She asked no one. She looked up at the darkening sky. "He can't step away from his precious science for a second to remember he still has a family. All he cares about is his stupid career."

"I am sure he cares about you too, Gaz."

She jumped at the voice and was shocked to see that she had all ready arrived at Zim's base. He stood in his yard with a leash looped around his hand, Gir rolling on the ground and becoming entangled in it.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know you were there." She walked up to him.

"Your parental unit is never home you say?" He asked, casually draping an arm around her.

"Let's just say I am lucky if I get to see him once a year, even then that is very rare."

"I see."

"I just wish he would come home more often and…"

Zim glanced at her solemnly.

"…And realize how much he really has?"

She blinked back the tears, but nodded. _Stupid fatigue_, she thought bitterly as she rubbed at her tired eyes.

_Realize how much he really has…_

Her key crept into the hole and she gave it a gentle twist. It was past nine o'clock which was the time Dib returned home from his Bigfoot hunting, ("Dork.") and she did not enjoy the thought of being attacked with questions. Where was she? Who was she with? Why was she late?

She opened the door to find darkness. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. Dib always left on at least one night when he came home. She began walking up the stairs but heard a noise from behind.

"Daughter?"

_Oh, great_. She turned to wait for the floating monitor, though it never came. Instead, her father walked out of the kitchen.

"Dad?"

"I thought I heard someone come in. Your brother just called to say he may be out later than usual. He claims he saw something in the forest. My poor insane son…"

She remained silent at the random conversation.

"So Dib tells me that you are in a play?"

She blinked in confusion.

"I told you this a few months ago, Dad. Remember, I got the main part? I showed you the results and everything."

He scratched his head.

"You got the main part? That's wonderful!"

He wasn't even hearing her. It was almost like she did not exist.

"Whatever." She climbed a step higher.

"Where are you going?"

"Bed."

"But I haven't seen you in months, daughter. Don't you want to talk?"

She balled her fists and faced the man standing before her known as her father. But that was the thing. He was such a stranger in her and Dib's life that she never felt any real connection. She could never feel her dad's love for her. And above all, she could never recall a time he had told her he loved her.

"Of course I want to talk, 'dad'. But you won't listen. And it isn't my fault that you haven't been home in months. You never come home."

"Gaz—"

She faked surprise.

"Oh, so you do remember my name? I was beginning to think you had forgotten."

He remained silent, so she continued.

"Oh and by the way, just to update you, Dib got a part in the play, too. You would know this if you paid a speck of attention to us. He is the nurse. And he gets made fun of every single day for it. But even though he gets mocked and picked on, he still continues. He still shows up for rehearsals and manages to cheer me on too."

She walked down the stairs until she was in directly in front of him.

"He is the one telling me how great of a job I am doing. He is the one telling me how proud he is. And he is the one telling me that he loves me and will always be there for me. So why can't you?" Tears threatened to spill, but she did not care. Let her father see her cry. Maybe he will finally realize how much he has hurt her. _Realize how much he really has…_ "Why can't you be there for me, cheering me on or telling me how much you love me? Why can't you just be my dad?"

She sniffled and looked up miserably at him.

"Why can't you realize how much you really have?"

"Daughter… I…"

He raised a hand to comfort her, but she moved out of the way when she heard what he had called her again.

"Forget it. Just forget it. Act like this never happened. You can return to your stupid science and I will return to having my brother be the only one there for me."

She stomped up the stairs, but turned one last time.

"I never realized how much he was there for me until now. At least you helped me figure that out. I just hope it isn't too late to apologize to him and let him know how much I appreciate him. He is going to be the only one there for me, after all. And how do you know he really didn't see something in the forest? What if he isn't as insane as you and everyone else claim? Did you ever stop to think of how all those little comments affect him?"

He stared at her, not knowing how to reply.

"Maybe you should remember your children actually have feelings."

The professor leaned his head against the wall and began crying silently as his daughter fell apart upstairs alone in her room. Behind them, Dib stood in the doorway, camera slipping out of his hand and the memory chip full of evidence falling out.

**A/N**

**Ouch! Poor Gaz! I even felt bad for her just typing it. I know she kind of blew up on her dad, but this is just how I imagine her feeling about her dad's constant absence. Let me know if it was overdone at all or out of character. Next chapter up soon!**


	10. Your Romeo beast

**A/N**

**Here is chapter 10! Wow this story is longer than I though it would be lol. I didn't like this chapter as much as the others, but hopefully you will. It is very sweet, though. A little sad at moments but it gets happier afterwards, don't worry. Well, before I continue talking, I'll let you get to the story. Enjoy and Review!**

She fell onto her bed and sobbed for hours, the room and her life spinning around her uncontrollably. She did not like the feeling; complete lack of power over her own life. She had never yelled at her dad that way before that night. She assumed it was years of built up anger and words meant to be said, but lost due to his constant absence. When she was sure she heard her him go to his room and go to bed, she waited a little while longer before jerking a rope ladder out of her closet and throwing it over the ledge of her window. She climbed out, giving one last look at her house before running in the direction of Zim's base.

Meanwhile, Zim was down in his lab working on a small device when his computer alerted him.

"Incoming transmission."

"Won't Gaz be pleased with this?" He said before putting the tiny machine away.

"Incoming transmission." He repeated stiffly.

"That must be the Tallest. They have not contacted us in a while. Gir don't suck on that!" He pulled a wrench out of his robot's mouth who simply giggled and ran off to find something else to stuff in his mouth. He straightened his uniform before the Tallest appeared on the screen.

"Greetings, my Tallest!" He saluted.

"Hi, Zim." They casually replied. "We just wanted to check up on you and see if you happened to make any progress."  
>He fidgeted with his fingers nervously.<p>

"Actually, sirs, I have been busy with something and someone else. I apologize for the delay in world domination." He bowed his head respectfully.

They eyed him in disbelief.

"You have been working on something other than your mission? What else could possibly be more important to you?"

"I met someone."

"You met someone?" Tallest Red questioned as Tallest Purple choked on a donut in the background. He fell to the floor and all you could see were other Irkens rushing to his aid. Red remained completely unfazed, his attention still directed on Zim.

"Yes. Her name is Gaz. She is a female that goes to the Earth's learning facility. We have grown very close since our first meeting. I have gained her trust and she has gained mine. I am sure you would—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait." He held his hands up to stop Zim from speaking any further. "You're serious? You actually met someone? And they trust you completely?"

He nodded proudly.

"Yes, sirs. She has even developed feelings for me. I believe the Earth term is love."

Tallest Purple finally rose, panting and gasping, with a fresh donut.

"Love? What is Love?" Though, he mispronounced the easy word.

"Computer, find me the Earth definition of Love for the Tallest!" Zim ordered.

A moment later, the screen displayed the results.

"Love is a profound, passionate affection for another being, master." His computer informed.

Zim smiled at the two confused Irkens.

"So what do you plan on doing with her?"

Zim's antenna perked at the odd question.

"I apologize, my Tallest. Do with her?"

Red nodded and acted as if he were dealing with a moron.

"Yes, Zim. Will you make her your slave, experiment on her, or—"

He quickly interrupted. He did not want to hear anymore troubling suggestions about Gaz's future.

"My Tallest, I will do none of that to her."

"Why not?"

"Why would I?"  
>They sighed.<p>

"Zim. You have finally achieved something and now you are going to waste it and not even use it wisely?"

"She is not an 'it.'" He mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"I said she is not an 'it'. With all due respect, my Tallest, please do not refer to her that way."

"Please tell me you are not going to be this foolish, Zim? If you have the trust of a human then you need to use her against the people of Earth." Red watched Zim look him straight in the eyes.

"I am not being foolish, my Tallest. I am sorry if you think that I am, but I will not harm Gaz in any way."

"You are a fool. You are threatening your mission."

Zim paced the lab, thinking. He turned and faced his leaders. Little did he know, Gaz was listening from the shadows of the elevator. She had arrived minutes after the transmission was received. Before she even had the chance to ring the doorbell, Gir had opened the door, a pencil in his mouth, and let her in to 'surprise his master'. She could see Zim struggling with his thoughts, but he still continued.

"I wish to resign, my Tallest." He whispered.

"What?" Both of their eyes grew wide. They had planned on the tiny Irken dying when he arrived on Earth, but seeing that their plan did not work, they planned to use him for their own entertainment.

"I wish to resign. I forfeit my mission."

Gaz stared in disbelief. _No, Zim. Please! Don't give it all up for me_! Her mind cried, but of course he could not hear her thoughts.

"You are leaving your mission behind all for a human girl?"

He nodded seriously.

"I also relinquish my name as an Invader."

"You would betray your people, your entire race, for a weak human?"

His eyebrows furrowed.

"She is not weak. She is the strongest being I have ever met. How can you say she is weak? Our race is the one who uses others to get what we want before killing them off or using them as slaves."

"You are a traitor, Zim. A failure."

He took it all in.

"I am what I am, sirs." He reached for a button to cut the transmission.

"We should have deactivated you the moment it was discovered you were a defect."

He stopped.

"A defect?" He glanced up at them slowly.

"Why do think you are experiencing these emotions? Your PAK is malfunctioning. It has been since the day you were born. That is why you failed at so many tasks that were simple to other Irkens."

Gir came into the room at that moment and grasped onto Zim's leg. He could sense something was wrong with his master, but he could not quite tell what. All he knew was that he wanted to protect him from whatever it was.

"Even your SIR unit is a defect."

Gir perked up.

"What is a defect, master?"

Zim did not have the heart to answer his small companion. Instead, he glared at the display.

"Don't call Gir a defect." He growled.

They raised an eyebrow, clearly uninterested.

"You may insult me as much as you wish. I can tolerate being considered a failure among my people, but I will not have you insulting Gaz nor Gir."

"You dare speak to your leaders with such disrespect?"

He shook his head.

"You are no longer my leaders. When I relinquished my mission and my title, I also relinquished you as my Tallest."

He reached for the button and placed his finger on it.

"If you end this transmission, Zim, you will never return to Irk or regain your title."

"So be it."

And he cut the transmission.

Gir looked up at the blank display and back to Zim. Zim focused on the screen, face emotionless, but eyes determined. He picked Gir up and the robot crawled onto his head. Zim walked towards the elevator, but was startled to see Gaz standing there.

"Gaz?"  
>She crossed the room and held him tightly in her arms.<p>

"You didn't have to do that for me. You shouldn't have done that for me."

"It's okay."

She pulled back.

"No it's not. You just gave up everything for me. I know how much all of that meant to you, but you still gave it up for me?"

He smiled sadly and pulled her towards the elevator.

"I am your Romeo-beast, am I not?"

She chuckled softly, solemnly. He smirked and the doors slid shut, carrying the pair up to the house level. As they stepped into the kitchen, Zim asked why she was out so late. She explained the fight she had had with her father and he listened the entire time. When she was done, she remained silent. They had moved into the living room where Gir squeaked and squealed along with his cartoons. Zim rose and grabbed something from his PAK. He held it into view and Gaz saw that it was the script.

"That overly-happy teacher did say we should focus on that scene, right?" He held out his claw.

She smiled and nodded, grabbing onto his hand. He reached into his PAK once again and pulled out a small machine. He had just finished it right before the Tallest had called him. Her eyebrows rose in confusion and he simply chuckled as he clicked it on. A second later, the room changed completely. Gaz watched in amazement as a balcony appeared behind her, a stone wall surrounded them, and grass grew beneath. She walked over to the wall and ran her hand along the stones. Chilly, rough granite met her touch and the moss growing on it tickled her fingers.

"It's just like the real thing."

He nodded proudly.

"The stage is too unrealistic for this play. I decided to work on a little something to improve that. After all, we do have to give our best performance, don't we?"

He loved to see her smile. Her smile never failed to make him happy. He helped her up onto the balcony and waited for her to lean over. Though when she came, he did not wait for the lines and got right to kissing her. Gir sat on the ground, grabbing handfuls of grass and shoving it into his head. He giggled and clapped his hands, yelling "Bravo!" over and over. Zim simply smiled at his small robot.

_Hopefully the Dib-beast will like the play as much as Gir does_, he thought sarcastically.

**A/N**

**Aw! I kind of like how that ended. Though, it isn't one of my best chapters. Still I hope you guys like it. I am thinking about making the final performance the next chapter, but I am not sure. If you guys have any suggestions or want to include another extreme Zagr moment, just let me know. I don't want this story to end, but it may soon after the final performance. I hope you like the story so far!**


	11. The Final Performance

**A/N**

**The final performance is here! I think this is also the final chapter! I am so sad that it is over! But if you guys have any requests for a few more chapters, just let me know. Thank you for reading the story so far and I hope you enjoy. Review!**

**I do not own the songs Love Story by Taylor Swift, Romeo and Juliet by S.O.A.P., or E.T. by Katy Perry. Enjoy!**

The long skool day finally ended and Gaz couldn't wait to get home. Earlier in the day, Dib offered to give her a ride and, to Dib's surprise, even more to her's, she accepted. She assumed he wanted to talk about what happened between her and their father the other night. She had been avoiding it but decided she could not ignore it forever. Though, it was the worst day possible to discuss it. For later that night, the final performance of Romeo and Juliet was scheduled. She stepped into the car and slammed the door shut, fidgeting with her fingers, skull necklace, and anything else she could get her hands on. Dib closed his door and started the car, occasionally glancing at his sister. The first five minutes were drove in silence as the two awkwardly glanced out the window.

"You want to listen to some music?" Dib offered.

"Sure." She was so nervous about the play that she would settle for anything that could serve as a possible distraction. He pushed the button and searched for a clear station. He stayed on the first station that arrived. Gaz shifted nervously in her chair as she listened to the lyrics.

_That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles  
>And my daddy said stay away from Juliet<br>And I was crying on the staircase  
>Begging you please don't go, and I said<em>

_Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone  
>I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run<br>You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess  
>It's a love story baby just say yes<em>

She sighed and scratched the back of her neck.

"Could we listen to a different song?"

"Okay." And he turned it to the next clear station in line.

_It's a lot like Romeo and Juliet It feels like  
>Something's happening to me<br>In the summertime I met a guy  
>He was so fine, He blew my mind<br>My friends are telling me  
>Girl he's a looser<br>But they can't see  
>It's a lot like Romeo and Juliet<em>

Gaz sighed and eyed Dib as if saying "Please change the song."

He nodded and changed the song.

_Take me, take me  
>Wanna be a victim<br>Ready for abduction_

_Boy, you're an alien  
>Your touch so foreign<br>It's supernatural  
>Extraterrestrial<em>

"What the heck!" She yelled before quickly turning the radio off. Dib stared at his

sister in confusion, but decided to drop it and focused on his driving. She drummed her fingers nervously as the play refused to leave her mind. Dib cleared his throat and tried small talk.

"So the play is tonight, huh?"

She nodded, but all she thought of was the kiss. How would Dib react? He was aware that Romeo and Juliet were to kiss in the play and that Zim was Romeo and Gaz was Juliet, though she knew he would not take it lightly. Why hadn't he talked to her about it; freak out like he usually did?

"You nervous?"

She didn't answer. He sighed and put a hand on her shoulder to which she stiffened immediately.

"It's okay to be nervous, Gaz. Everyone gets nervous. I'm scared out of my mind right now!"

She faced him slightly.

"You are?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be? We have all worked really hard for this one night."

"But you don't seem nervous at all. How are you so calm?"

He shrugged.

"I guess my mind is just too focused on other things to be worried about the play."

"Oh." She quickly faced the window again, bracing herself for the flood of questions that were sure to come, either about Zim or her dad.

"Gaz, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." _Here it comes…_

"Why were you and dad fighting when I came home the other night?"

"Oh, that." She replied as if she had not expected the question. "I guess I just got sick of him not paying any attention to us."

"Oh, okay." She saw his eyes grow sad.

"Don't you ever wish he would actually notice us instead of paying attention to his career?"

They arrived at a stop light and he slowed the car to a stop. He tripped over his words, repeating the excuse he had given him for years.

"Well…h-he's busy…I mean, I know he's an important man and…" Though, he could not finish. He just couldn't excuse him anymore. Dib knew that his dad was missing out on many important parts of their lives; times he would never be able to get back. Whether he liked to admit it or not, Dib really missed his dad. He wanted him to be home more often. But his dad was also his hero. The reason being why he never complained about his never-ending absence. He wanted to change the subject and fast.

"So what time are we supposed to arrive before the show?"

She knew he was trying to change the subject, but she wouldn't allow it. They had lived their entire lives avoiding it.

"6:30 and don't change the subject Dib. I miss him too."

The light turned green, but he did not move. Cars began honking and insults were thrown out the windows of the cars behind them, but the Membrane siblings ignored them. Dib gripped the steering wheel tightly and adjusted his glasses, finally pushing the gas and moving the car. Gaz sighed and decided it was her turn to be there for him. Their entire life, Dib had to be the parental figure to her. Now it was her turn to be there for him.

"It's okay to want dad to be around Dib. Trust me, I would love to be able to come home from rehearsals and tell him everything about what happened; just really talk to him about life, my problems, Zi—" She caught herself too late. She had gotten too comfortable talking and had accidentally slipped up and almost said Zim's name. She silently prayed that he did not hear it but of course, being Dib, he heard it loud and clear.

His head jerked around to face her. She peered down at the ground, more absorbed in her shoes than the conversation. He wanted to say something, but instead he remained silent. She did not like the silence, though it was certainly better than yelling. When he finally spoke, she was shocked by what he said.

"If you want to talk about life, or your problems, or even," he hesitated, "Zim, I am always here to listen, if you want."

She could clearly see the battle he was having with himself. He wanted to protect his sister, yet he wanted her to be happy also. It was certainly a big step for Dib to listen to her and not vomit or pass out while she gushed on and on about Zim. But the entire time she talked, he listened and nodded, occasionally asking her opinion on a matter or voicing his thoughts. And not once did he judge her, even when she spoke of Zim. When she finally finished, he leaned back in his chair. He sighed deeply, awkward but content. Their conversation had lasted longer than the ride home so they had decided to grab a bite to eat at Bloaty's Pizza Hog and eat out in the car.

"Can I ask you something now?"

She eyed him suspiciously but nodded anyways.

"H-have you two…um…" He looked sick as he used his hands to display kissing. Gaz shook her head and thought, _What is up with every guy having to show girls what kissing is instead of just saying it_? But she blushed at his question for she knew what he meant right away.

"Um…"

Her lack of answer answered it completely for Dib. He grew pale and leaned against the window.

"I see." Was all he could whimper.

She laughed and he turned around suddenly, staring at her intensively. She was beginning to wonder if she had sprouted a third arm out of her forehead with the way he was looking at her.

"What?" She asked.

"You just laughed."

"So?"

"I haven't heard you laugh in… actually, I don't remember the last time I heard you laugh."

She shrugged.

"He really does make you happy, doesn't he?" He questioned, sadly but also happy that she had finally found someone.

She nodded.

"He does. I can just be myself around him. I don't feel like I have to put on a fake front just to impress him. He likes me just because I am me." She smiled at the thought of the alien. "It's just nice having someone like that around."

"Then I'm happy for you."

It was her turn to stare.

"What?"  
>"If Zim makes you that happy, then I am happy for you and I…" He gulped as he struggled with his words. "I approve." He finally wheezed.<p>

She watched him in disbelief before hugging him harshly. He gagged as the air rushed out of his body.

"Thank you, Dib." She repeated over and over.

"I'm….hurting…!" He gasped.

Gaz gathered any possible items she may have needed for the performance. Dib stepped into her doorway.

"You ready?"

"Almost. Is it okay if someone rides with us? They're performing in the play tonight, too."

"Yeah, sure." He smiled.

Though, she had a feeling he would not be smiling soon.

"Thanks." She could hear the doorbell ring downstairs. "That's them." She said before running to the stairs. Dib was a bit taken aback by her sudden, cheerful mood but shrugged it off and followed her downstairs. He grabbed his car keys and waited behind Gaz as she opened the door. All at once, his jaw dropped and his eyes widened.

Zim looked up at Gaz and smiled, glanced over her shoulder and smiled, but faltered and repeated Dib's actions. Gaz eyed the two boys before raising her eyebrow.

"Are you two going to stare all day or are we going to go to the show?" She questioned impatiently. Dib tried to speak, but all that came out was a faint squeak. Zim cleared his throat and straightened out his uniform nervously.

"U-um… are you coming with me or the Dib-worm, Gaz?" He still watched his enemy awkwardly. She shrugged.

"Neither."

They both looked at her and said "Huh?"

"We're all riding together."

"B-but I can't ride with him, he is an alien—"

"His head is too big!"

"He has green skin!"

"His pointy hair is too…pointy!"

She sighed in aggravation at the conversation that took place all at the same time. She slapped her hand over Zim's mouth, Zim yelping slightly, and thumped Dib in the forehead. Dib whimpered and rubbed his now-sore head.

"If you two can't get along, then stay home and fight it out here. But I have to leave now if I am going to make it in time for the play that ALL of us are supposed to be performing in tonight!"

She walked past the two and they silently followed. She pretended not to notice when they began tripping and shoving each other. She sighed and grabbed the keys from Dib and opened her door in the back.

"Aren't you going to sit in the passenger side, Gaz?"

"I'll sit back here. Zim, come here."

His eyes widened as she pointed to the passenger's seat. He backed up, shaking his head frantically.

"Why don't I just sit in the back with you?"

She showed him the bulky bag she was carrying.

"Because I have to put this in the back with me. This is all of our costumes and there is no way you will fit back here with the bag and me. Just sit there," she pointed, "right beside Dib." The pair eyed her, their eyes saying "You set us up." She smirked wickedly and her eyes replied "Yes I did." But due to time, they complied and took their seats. She chuckled to herself in the back seat as the two avoided eye contact, Zim staring out the window, Dib staring at the road. It was certainly a memorable car ride. They practically lunged out of the car when they arrived in the Hi-skool parking lot. Gaz struggled to carry the bag and Dib and Zim, both being gentlemen, reached to grab for it at the same time. Their hands barely brushed, but they quickly released the bag. Zim jumped back like he had been burned and rubbed his hands harshly across his pants. Dib whipped out a bottle of hand sanitizer and drowned his hand with it.

"This is going to be one long night." Gaz predicted. And boy was she right.

The students raced around the stage, nervously finishing the last preparations. Gaz opened the bathroom door and stepped out, in costume and looking like Juliet. Zim casually sauntered by and glanced at Gaz, smiling, looking forward, but backing up quickly. He faced her and his eyes grew wide. She put her hand on her hips, acting mad.

"Are you just going to stare or are you going to come over?" She teased.

He walked over and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her back and observing her beauty.

"You are beautiful."

"You don't look half bad yourself." She observed.

Seeming to forget that he was in costume, he glanced down. He shrugged while pulling her closer. He leaned his face closer to hers, tugging beneath her chin, but she held a finger up to his lips.

"You're gonna have to wait for the balcony scene." She winked playfully before walking past him and slowly making her way to the auditorium, gazing shyly over her shoulder back at the star-struck Irken. It was odd flirting so openly, especially considering Dib was in the other room, but it felt good. Waking from his trance, Zim followed her.

"Okay, students, gather around!" Mr. Elliot hollered. He stood on the stage waiting until all of the students stood around him.

"Tonight is the final performance. We have been working for many months for this one night. Now I know you are all very nervous, but remember: you have all worked very hard for this and have earned this night. We have rehearsed this and passed with flying colors each time. So remember to have fun and make this a play the audience will never forget!" They all clapped, Dib, Zim, and Gaz eyeing each other.

When the crowd scattered to finish the last adjustments, Dib walked over to his sister and smiled.

"Look at you, Gaz. A few months ago, you were being forced to audition for this and you couldn't wait for it to be over. Now you have the main part and you certainly deserve it."

"Do you really think so?" She asked hopefully.

He nodded.

"Dad would be proud." He smiled sadly.

Her smile faded and she nodded. He patted her on the shoulder before leaving to put on his costume. Zim faced her confusedly.

"Your parental unit will not be present tonight?"

She shook her head.

"No, Zim. He's not." She bit her lip and shrugged the thought of. "Who cares? Come on, let's go get ready. It's almost time!"

The seats were being filled quickly and people flowed through the doors in large numbers. Many more people showed up than Gaz had expected. Her heart beat as she peeked out into the crowd. She was not used to being nervous, but then again, she was not used to acting in a play, being in love with an alien, or being friends with her brother. So much had happened since the play began. She often imagined what her life would have been like had she not been forced to audition. Most likely, she would be stuck at home, playing her Game Slave and ignoring her brother's rants. Yet her she was, dressed like Juliet, waiting to give the performance of her life. She felt a presence behind her and quickly dropped the stage's curtain when she felt someone grab her hand. She spun around and sighed in relief to see Zim standing there, grinning.

"I thought you were one of the teachers." She gasped.

He chuckled.

"Perhaps I should take you in to one of the teachers for peeping into the crowd and being nervous." He looped an arm around her and she laughed at how easily he could read her.

"I guess I just didn't expect such a big crowd."

He could feel her fear and it made him jump into protection mode. He pulled her from behind, holding her body close, and tilted her head until she was looking up at him.

"Don't worry about the crowd. Tonight, we are living for you and me. Not those people out there, your brother, or your dad; just you and me." She smiled at his reassuring words. He gently ran a hand along her face and down her neck. "And when I kiss you tonight, I will not be kissing the crowd or anyone else. I will be kissing you and you alone." He rubbed his face along hers, taking in her smooth skin and soft scent. He moaned in delight as she kissed his neck. Zita walked out of nowhere and giggled when she saw the pair. They looked up quickly, obviously embarrassed by the sudden intrusion.

"It's time." She giggled.

Zim and Gaz looked at each other one last time and nodded, following the giddy girl out of the room and getting into position. After giving the machine to Mr. Elliot and explaining how to use it, Zim rejoined Gaz and stood by her side as the teacher fumbled with the odd contraption. He finally found the first setting for scene one and was amazed by the realistic effects it displayed. Gaz and Zim shook their head while the teacher droned on and on about "what a great little machine this is. It is just perfect!" _What an odd teacher…_ they both thought simultaneously.

Gaz caught sight of Dib and he smiled before leaving to get ready. Mr. Elliot walked up to Gaz and Zim.

"This is it, you two. Are you ready?"

They nodded.

"Then on with the show!" He stepped out onto the stage in front of the crowd and the students flocked to the corners, in the shadows and out of view. Gaz could hear him begin the narration. _This is it_, she thought, _no going back now_. The curtains crawled open gracefully and the crowd instantly "Owwed" and "Awed" over the realistic setting. A few students walked to the center of the stage and began their lines. Gaz watched the performance for five minutes before she left and went to a room in the back. Her part wasn't for at least another ten minutes so she decided to relax a little and be alone. She knew it was not wise to be by herself for long though, because soon her mind began to wander and when her mind wandered, it often led to the doubts and worries she would constantly push away. _What if I forget my lines? What if Dib interferes at the last minute? What if I make a complete fool of myself in front of the entire school? What if… What if…. _

She shook her head and ran a hand through her hand. _I wonder if mom would be proud? _

"Dad certainly isn't." She angrily said to the room. She could hear someone approaching and quickly relaxed.

"Your part is coming up soon, Gaz."

"Thanks, Zita. I'll be right there."

She brushed her dress off and took one final look in the mirror that occupied the corner and smiled. _I'm living for me tonight_.

She walked up to the sidelines and waited. She watched as Zim marched onto the stage, completely confident and carefree. She laughed as he proudly gave his lines and secretly shot a glance her way. In the play, Romeo was at a party and was soon about to meet Juliet. It was going to be one of the most difficult scenes for Zim and Gaz. They all ready had so much chemistry personally that it was hard to act as though they had never met before. Still, Gaz walked onto the stage with her pretend father and was introduced to the other party attendees. The father handed Juliet over to a young man and they began dancing. 'Romeo' glanced across the room and his eyes remained glued to Gaz. It was all she could do to not blush.

"What lady is that which doth enrich the hand of yonder knight?" Zim asked one of the party servers. Gaz interpreted the old Shakespearian language to modern and knew he was saying basically, "Who is the girl on the arm of that lucky fellow over there?".

"I know not, sir" The server replied.

Zim spoke his next lines, which was many, going on about Juliet's great beauty. Though when Gaz saw the way he looked at her, she had a feeling he was not just acting. The student she was dancing with released her and she stepped over into the corner to which Romeo crossed the room and reached for her hand. She smiled as he wooed her with sweet lines, no matter how rehearsed they may have been. And that was it: Romeo and Juliet had officially met. As for Zim and Gaz, though, they had much, much more chemistry.

The play was going according to plan and the balcony scene quickly arrived. Zim held Gaz a moment longer before he stepped onto the stage, searching for his love. Gaz climbed the balcony and was amazed herself by how realistic everything was. The whole play had come alive along with the romance. She heard Zim's desperate cries for his Juliet and opened the balcony doors, stepping into view.

"Ay me!"

"She speaks! Oh, speak again, bright angel, for thou art as glorious to this night, being o'er my head, as is a winged messenger of heaven!" He recited as he crossed the stage over to her. She glimpsed down and could see their first, real kiss repeating itself. He climbed up the fence that rested against the wall and came closer and closer. Her heart sped up dramatically and she could feel her face turning red. It did not help that she could see Dib and the rest of the hi-skool students watching in awe from the sidelines. She reached her hand over to which he gently took. He climbed higher and higher until he was face-to-face with her. She glided her hand across his face, not receiving the usual purr of pleasure, but instead he leaned over and whispered, "Thy need not mind thy crowd. We livest for ourselves this night." She smiled at his poorly translated Shakespearian language, but shook her head in agreement. He wrapped his claw behind and around the nape of her neck and drew her closer. Dib held his mouth tightly to prevent himself from interjecting. Zim gazed at her lips and just before they met, whispered "For us…". He pressed his lips lightly against hers, inviting her to progress or stay as they were. She ran a hand up his arm, inviting him to continue. He pulled her closer, digging his claws into her hair, and she gasped in pleasure.

The crowd suddenly broke out in applause even though the play was not finished. To them, they thought they had two teenagers who really knew how to act, but to the students on the sidelines and to Gaz and Zim, they knew the kiss was not part of the play. True, it was in the script, but it meant so much more. To the pair, it was a sign of their love, a promise to always remain side-by-side, no matter what may come their way. He broke off and wrapped his arms protectively when he heard the 'nurse' coming. _Dib will not take her away from me_, he hissed in his mind. Dib walked up behind the pair and Juliet eyed her nurse nervously. Juliet eyed him in fear because the nurse was to warn her if her parents were coming; Gaz eyed him in fear because he could decide right then and there not to approve of Zim. Even if he did not, she refused to leave him. She was shocked when he continued with his lines and warned Juliet that her parents were coming. She nodded hastily and kissed her lover once more before allowing him to descend. She could have sworn she saw Zim give her that familiar, reassuring smile, but it could have just been the lighting messing with her eyes.

Gaz stood beside Romeo's lifeless body and grasped his dagger. Romeo was dead. Juliet no longer had a reason to live. Without her love, her life crumbled and fell apart. Dib was shocked when he realized that real tears streamed down Gaz's face as she crouched over Zim who laid motionless on the stage, a bottle of poison at his side. The entire body of students watched in amazement as Gaz cried. They had never seen her that way before, acting or not. You would have thought her love had really died. _You were perfect for the part, Gaz_, Dib thought proudly, _you really were…_

"This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die." She cried as she raised the dagger. She stabbed the knife into her chest, gasped and limply fell beside Romeo. In her last moments of life, Juliet extended her hand and grasped Romeo's.

"Thy love is my savoir, my escape of this cruel world." She whispered faintly before dying, her hand still clutching his. The words had not been of the script, Zim knew that right away. He felt a feeling grow inside that he had never experienced before: love. He could tell that Gaz truly loved him and he smiled as he realized he loved her too.

The crowd jumped up and a roar of applause echoed throughout the room. The curtains hid the stage for a moment, allowing Gaz and Zim to stand and the scenery machine to be turned off. When the curtains were drawn again, the entire body of performers stood on the stage. Every single person in the crowd applauded and cheered. Gaz couldn't recall a moment in her life where she was happier. Dib hugged her tightly before releasing her to Zim. She laughed and jumped into his arms. He grinned, but pulled back and pointed into the crowd. Her smile disappeared when she saw her father standing in the crowd, clapping silently and staring at his children. Dib saw their dad too and instantly froze.

As the children jumped off the stage to meet with their families, Dib and Gaz made their way through the crowd and finally found him. Dib hugged their father first and nodded as he took in his father's comments of approval. He glanced over his shoulder at Gaz and stepped to the side, allowing her to step up. "You have been waiting for this for a long time" his eyes told her. Her smile thanked him.

"I…I didn't know you would—" But before she could finish, her father embraced her tightly.

"I am so proud of you, Gaz."

Her mouth hung and her eyes filled with tears. He remembered her name _and_ he said he was proud of her. She refused to contain the tears while she clung to her dad and caught up on all of the years they had missed in a single embrace.

The last of the audience crawled into their cars and began their drive home. Gaz gazed at the various bouquets of flowers that rested on the stage beside her. She let her legs dangle off of the side of the stage and stared into the now-empty auditorium.

"Hey, Gaz."

She smiled up at her brother.

"You did great tonight. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks. You did good, too. Maybe we should consider joining the next play?"  
>He was shocked by her suggestion by smiled anyways.<p>

"Yeah, maybe."

A moment of silence filled the air.

"Dad's ready to leave. You about ready?" He asked.

"I think I am going to stay here a little longer. You guys can go ahead home."

He rose an eyebrow in concern.

"But how are you going to get home?"

She glanced at the doors in the corner and smiled.

"I think I know of someone who will give me a ride."

Dib followed her Gaz and saw Zim standing in the doorway. He laughed and nodded.

"Okay. See you at home."

Dib walked out the door, but turned to the Irken before leaving.

"I have to admit, Zim: your performance was pretty good."

"As was yours, Dib-beast. I assume this does not mean you will stop following me or harassing me, though, does it?" He asked. Though, Dib could see him silently praying that it would not change anything. He enjoyed their constant bickering, no matter how often he may have complained.

Dib chuckled and shook his head.

"Stop harassing you? Hmph, now that you are with my sister, it means I am going to watch you even harder!"

Zim smirked.

"Good. I look forward to it, Dib-stink."

He shoved him harshly, but laughed. Dib shook his head and left the skool grinning at the odd turn of events.

Zim glanced across the room at Gaz who remained seated on the stage, waiting.

"Mind if I join you?"

She sighed.

"I was wondering if you would ever ask." She teased, moving over slightly.

He took a seat beside her and stared at the empty seats in front of them.

"It ended with applause. I suppose we gave a good performance."

"Huh?" She eyed him, wondering what he was referring too.

He inched closer to her.

"A good performance always ends in applause."

"Oh," she smiled, "that."

He grabbed her waist and turned her towards him.

"Do you know what that means for tonight?"

She raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"No, what?"

He pulled her face closer to his, his breath grazing her skin.

"A date always ends in a good night kiss."

She chuckled.

"I didn't know this was a date."

He ran a hand down her leg.

"Let's say it is then just for the heck of it."

She agreed and kissed him lightly on the lips. A shadow fell upon them and they broke apart quickly when they realized Mr. Elliot towering over them.

"Woops." Zim muttered.

Mr. Elliot tapped his foot impatiently.

"At least it is after-skool hours?" Gaz suggested.

"I think I can let it go just this once." He replied, smiling as always.

They let out a sigh of relief.

"Actually, I was hoping I would find you two. I cannot begin to tell you how many comments I got about both of your performances. And most of them were about the way you acted together.

"What do you mean?" Zim questioned.

"They liked your performances when you acted alone, but they said they noticed you were even better when you acted together. They said it was as if you two were made to act together."

Zim grinned, Gaz smiled shyly.

"So I was wondering, we are going to be having another play soon and I was wondering if you two wanted to maybe try out for it?"

They both looked at each other and immediately answered, "Yes!"

Mr. Elliot nodded excitedly.

"Okay. Be sure to keep an eye out for the auditions. I'll see you two at skool."

They waved to the teacher and relaxed when the doors closed. Zim hopped off of the stage and held out his hand.

"Shall we?"

"Where are we going?" She asked while taking his hand.

"I think Romeo and Juliet need to have some time alone after performing in front of a crowd." He suggested as they left the auditorium and left the skool. He clicked a button and the Voot Cruiser landed beside them soon after. He helped her in and took a seat beside her.

The Cruiser floated above the ground for a moment before lifting off into the sky. Zim put it on autopilot and reached towards Gaz, pulling her close.

"I love you." He whispered.

She smiled and gazed up at him.

"I love you too, Zim."

**A/N**

**AWW! Well, I don't know about you, but I thought that was pretty sweet! I hope you guys liked the story and remember to check back for more stories like this. I was thinking of doing a Phantom of the Opera version! Let me know what you think and if I get enough approvals, I will probably do it! (Knowing me, I'll do it anyways though cause I love Zagr XD) Thanks guys and review!**


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